Stepmother at 17
by sleepintheharding
Summary: With the discovery of Ezra's son, Aria finds playing the role of "stepmother" too much to handle—especially now that she's trying to deal with her own loss. Will the child destroy their relationship, or will the battle deepen their love for one another?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I'm adding this note several months after I started writing this story. While there are many similarities to the show, I began writing this before 3B started and before Malcolm was officially introduced to the plot. Any similarities are 100% coincidental. (And there are many coincidences...as you'll find out.) Follow me on Twitter at sleepnthehrding!**

**This is my first fanfic! It was originally a one-shot, but now it's clearly not. A****fter a lot of spoilers were revealed about Ezria in 3B, I got excited about all of the possibilities involving Maggie, Malcolm, Aria, and Ezra. (I know, I'm insane, right?) But, don't worry, it's 100% Ezria. **

As soon as Ezra found out he had a son, Aria knew their relationship would change forever. She'd have to share Ezra's heart with a child, a child that wasn't even hers and had the nose and hair of another woman. Is this what she wanted? To be a stepmother at 17? But for Ezra to be happy, it was her only choice—to replace movie nights filled with kisses, with preparing for spelling tests and coloring outside the lines on Sunday nights. That, or walking away completely. The pain of that decision would stay with her for years, but as it stood, she wasn't sure what other options she had.

She was sitting on her bed on a Friday night—at home, which didn't really feel like home anymore. Before the Malcolm news, she had been slowly, and unofficially, moving in with Ezra. A string of make out sessions on the couch turned into sleepovers on the bed and drawers full of Aria's clothes. Ella wasn't completely aware that her daughter's underwear resided in Ezra's laundry, as she was not living with Aria anymore. Byron knew Aria wasn't home often, but he didn't want to imagine where she could be. To Byron, Aria was having frequent sleepovers with Spencer, studying for tests over pizza and movie marathons. Or at least that's what he tried to convince himself of. Nope, she wasn't spending her nights in her 25-year-old boyfriend's arms, waking up in nothing but a tangle of sheets. Ignorance is bliss, and that's the way he liked it.

Aria paced back and forth in her room, her iPhone tightly grasped by her sweaty palms. She finally took a deep breath and dialed, sitting on the edge of her bed, practicing what she was about to say in her head.

"Hey honey, what's up?" Ella answered.

This was dangerous.

"Hi mom. I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner tonight?" She choked out in record speed. She stood up and continued to pace. "We haven't really spent a lot of time together recently, and—"

"You're willing to give up a Friday night with Ezra and your friends to spend time with me?" She joked, but soon realized that there was more behind this question. "What's the matter, Aria?"

Aria was silent, struggling to decide her next words. The only sounds Ella could decipher were the quiet sobs beginning to sneak out from Aria's throat. As soon as she heard the sound of her mother's voice, she became a small child again, desperate for the comforting embrace that would assure her that everything would be okay.

"Can I..." she breathed in between sobs, "can I sleep over tonight?"

"Of course honey. Why don't I pick you up? And then we'll fix whatever this is," she said with certainty. "I promise. No more crying, okay? Or at least until I come get you, then I have an open shoulder with your name on it. Bring some movies."

Ella was relieved that her daughter was finally ready to open up to her. She wasn't sure what this was about; she was hoping she'd come forward about who had been bullying her for the past couple of years. Aria had never really discussed her relationship with Ezra. Ella knew they had their ups and downs, but other than one quick and embarrassing sex talk, Aria went on with her life and relationship without a word, knowing that her parents were uncomfortable with the situation.

Ella looked over to Zack who had started to take ingredients out of the cabinets for their Friday night dinner.

"Zack, I'm sorry, but we need to reschedule this. Aria needs me."

"I understand," Zack walked over to Ella and gave her a quick kiss. "Your children are your priority."

* * *

Aria sat next to Ella on her black leather couch in her small, but cozy apartment, making small talk about nothing related to 'A' or Ezra. Ella was becoming impatient, her curiosity far too powerful to sit through this nonsense.

"Aria, I know you didn't come here to talk to me about what book you're reading. Or the weather."

"I guess not, " she looked down at her feet. "I found something out recently that's really affecting my relationship with Ezra. I thought I could handle it without your help, but now I don't think I can. I'm stuck. I don't know what to do, or how to react. I know you don't like to talk about him, but..."

Ella listened but was not ready for where this was going, preparing for the worst, preparing to hear something she didn't want to hear, not now, not while her daughter was still a teenager.

"..Ezra's a father."

And just like that, after three words, panic set in. "And by father, you don't mean that this child is currently living in your womb, correct?"

Aria gasped. "No, mom, I'm not pregnant!" Aria's eyes shot wide open, her eyebrows raised, her cheeks turning red. "This child is living in Delaware with Ezra's high school girlfriend. He just found out about a month ago, and it has turned both of our lives upside down."

"You nearly just gave me a heart attack," Ella let out the breath she'd been holding. "I don't know what I would do if you were pregnant with your ex-teacher's baby."

"I'm sorry. The thing is, mom, I wouldn't even mind if I got pregnant right now, because Ezra and Maggie have a connection that Ezra and I won't have for at least another four or five years."

"You don't mean that," Ella said in a serious tone. "And try six or seven years, if and when you two get married."

"You're right. I don't mean that." Aria sighed. "But Ezra's been spending so much time with Maggie and Malcolm—that's his name. He's seven. I'm not even eleven years older than this kid. I was still playing with dolls when he was born. It's been kind of a reality check..." she trailed off.

"I don't even know what to think, Aria. This could happen to you, too."

"I know, and I promise you, it won't. But what about college? He's not going to follow me wherever I go now that he knows he has a kid. And I miss him, all of the time, and I still see him a couple of times a week. I miss having breakfast with him, watching movies with him, seeing him whenever I want. Now I have to worry about a kid looking at us when we kiss...or catching us when, you know...I can't handle a long distance relationship when I go to college, and what if he develops feelings for Maggie again and he forgets about me and—"

"Calm down, Aria. Let me think for a second."

Ella stared at Aria, a stern look on her face that could only be followed by disappointment. Ella was angry, not at Aria, but at herself for allowing this relationship to continue when Byron told her it was a bad idea. Aria was heartbroken. Nearly a year later, Aria was struggling to hold on, but Ella wasn't sure why. Why can't she find a nice boy who's ready to take on the world? Who still dreams of the many possibilities the future could bring, and isn't tied down by bills, reality—and a child. What's so appealing about Ezra Fitz?

"As your mother, Aria, I think you've gotten yourself into an adult relationship that you're not ready for, that _you were never ready for_, to be honest. And now, a big obstacle has presented itself that was inevitable to pop up eventually, anyway. If not a child, something else. He's eight years older than you."

Aria sunk down into the couch, crossing her arms and cringing at the sound of her mother's voice. She was a 12-year-old girl again, not a mature woman who used to share a bed with her boyfriend most of the week.

"Ezra's in a completely different place in his life right now, and you still have college to look forward to and a ton of opportunities that might be harder to go after with a boyfriend who wants to settle down with a family."

Aria felt defeated. Everything she fought for in her relationship had crumbled down around her in a matter of seconds. Every word, every kiss, every time they made love...started to mean nothing but a weak attempt at true love, a true love that she wasn't even sure deserved the word "true" anymore.

"Thanks, mom," Aria mumbled. But she wasn't really thankful. How could she live without Ezra? The first tear began to make its way down her cheek, and she looked away, embarrassed and ready to hear the _"I told you so" _that had the weight of over a year's worth of stubbornness.

"Aria, I just want to be honest with you. I love you and cannot imagine how I'd feel if I didn't tell you the truth," she admitted. "I would never forgive myself if I didn't warn you about how this relationship could turn out. I want to see you succeed, and be happy. As much as you'd like to deny it, I may know a few more things than you do about this—only because I've lived in this world twice as long," she finished, before holding her daughter in her arms and rubbing her hands up and down her back to comfort her.

Aria cried into her mother's sweater for ten minutes, each tear more painful for both Aria and Ella, before getting up and walking towards the bathroom to change into her pajamas.

"Aria..."

"Mom, right now, all I want to do is change, get into bed, and fall asleep to a stupid chick flick about a girl much luckier than I feel right now."

"Wait, Aria," Ella stood up and pulled Aria back to the couch. "I told you how I felt as a mother, but let me tell you how I feel as a friend," Ella gave her a sympathetic, hopeful smile. "The best friend that you have right now, even if you don't believe it."

"You just told me how you feel, you don't need to rub it in any further. You were right last year."

"As your mother, I am obligated to protect you from 'what ifs.' As your friend and a fellow believer in soul mates, I have a different responsibility."

"I thought you've always secretly wanted me to break up with Ezra."

"Yes, as your mother, I'm uncomfortable that my baby girl is having sleepovers with a grown man," she laughed. Aria raised her eyebrows, shocked that her mother was acknowledging her sex life again. "But you and Ezra have fought for so long to make this work, and only a man who truly loves you would sacrifice as much as Ezra has sacrificed to be with you. I'd be lucky to have him as my son-in-law."

"You're not making this easier, mom. Mixed signals here."

"What I'm trying to say is, there are a lot of 'what ifs.' There always will be. That's life. But if you think that Ezra is your soul mate, like I know you do, then what else can you do? You're meant to be together, and if you're meant to be together, then you have no choice but to do whatever possible to make this work."

"Are you sure? Because this could become a seriously screwed up situation. You'd be a step grandmother," Aria managed to smile.

Ella laughed. "As your boyfriend, Ezra has the same responsibility I do as your mother."

"Reminding me that our relationship sucks?"

"Nope," she said. "As your soul mate, he loves you more than he loves himself, and won't let you be anything less than the best Aria you can be. You can make it through this, as long as he's your soul mate."

Aria leaned over to give her mother a long hug, as she began to cry again—but this time, tears of happiness and relief. Her mother was always right, which is why she knew talking to her could be dangerous. Once her mother told her she needed to end her relationship with Ezra, it would become real. She couldn't deny the inevitable.

"Mom, would you mind if..."

"I don't like any of the movies you brought, anyway," Ella pretended to complain. "Go ahead."

Aria didn't expect to leave her mother's house with a smile, as she got in the car and drove over to her soul mate's apartment to have a discussion—a real, adult discussion, about their future together, with or without a stepchild.


	2. Chapter 2

After leaving Ella's apartment across town, Aria started driving the fifteen minutes to Ezra's apartment. Having driven this route what seemed like hundreds of times before, Aria's body was on autopilot while her mind was scattered with fears. She gripped the steering wheel, releasing her anxiety into the hard plastic, her foot not leaving the gas pedal as if her destination was imperative to her life. This conversation was going to happen, and this conversation was going to happen tonight. She couldn't stand to sleep another night with all of the questions and uncertainties that Ezra's child introduced into their relationship. She was tired of this, emotionally and physically. And it wasn't fair. For once, she didn't give a damn about Malcolm or Maggie. She missed Ezra, and she gave him enough time to adjust to the knowledge that he had a child. Now she wants her boyfriend back.

She turned onto Ezra's street, but was surprised to find her typical spot behind his car taken. She drove further down the street before finding a spot next to his building. Aria remained seated, barely remembering if she stopped at any stop signs or went through any red lights. She wiped a spot from her foggy window and looked up to his apartment, wondering what he could be doing right now, and why he didn't bother calling or texting her this afternoon.

_Right. Malcolm. _

Aria sometimes wondered what their lives would be like right now if Ezra never found out about his son. She always felt selfish when her mind wandered to these 'what ifs,' but she'd be lying to herself if she said she wouldn't take it back. Because she would, in a second. She'd rewind time and not get in that car with Wesley after that party. She wouldn't bring up his pretentious bitchy mother. Or better yet, she'd take her 10-year-old self to 18-year-old Ezra's house and act as an obnoxious cockblock on the night Malcolm was conceived, or sneak the girl some birth control for goodness sake. That was what selfish Aria wanted, but her rational side couldn't pretend Ezra's son didn't exist.

Aria's love for her boyfriend outweighed her selfish need to keep him to herself, and robbing him of watching his child grow up would break her heart as well as his. Which is how—and why—she told Ezra last month, after a typical morning coffee run. It was Veteran's Day; they both had the day off and planned on spending it cuddling on the couch with Chinese food. But they never made it to the couch, and they never ordered the Chinese food, and this day wouldn't be remembered as Veteran's Day anymore—at least not for them.

_Ezra and Aria walked down the street in the center of Rosewood, both holding their coffee cups—Aria clutching hers a little tighter—as they discussed Spencer's upcoming birthday party and if it would be appropriate for him to accompany her. _

"_Don't you think that would be a little weird? Me hanging out with Toby and Caleb as if we're all 18. I'm not 18, Aria," Ezra said, looking over at Aria as he took another sip of his coffee._

"_You were 18 before, though," Aria began, but interrupted herself when the familiar dread returned to the pit of her stomach when she thought about confessing her knowledge. _Eighteen. _Aria looked at the pavement and stopped walking. _

"_Yes, I was, but now I'm not and I think you're happy about that in certain, hmm, areas of our relationship," Ezra said with a wink before realizing Aria had stopped. "What's the matter?" He softly tilted Aria's chin up with his free hand and looked into her glossy eyes. "Aria? Honey, what's wrong?" _

_Ezra took Aria's hand and pulled her over to a table in front of Lucky Leon's and sat down. He pulled her onto his lap and squeezed her tight, soothing Aria as she tried to hold back the tears from falling. Once she calmed down, she stood up and sat in the chair beside him. _

_She took a deep breath before speaking, smoothing her skirt in front of her with her palms. "Please, just please—try to understand where I'm coming from and don't be angry," Aria pleaded. She reached over for Ezra's hand and held it tightly, looking him straight in the eyes, silently begging him to forgive her before the words even left her mouth._

_Ezra nodded. His curiosity was battling with fear that their now solid relationship was about to go over another bump. _

_Ezra nervously took another sip of his coffee. "What is it?"_

"_I talked to Maggie. Before she came to your apartment that day."_

"_You what?" Ezra asked, trying to hold back his anger. "But why? Why didn't you tell me?"_

"_Because I also met...I met...your son. Ezra, you have a son," Aria blurted out. "But Maggie told me I couldn't tell you, because for some reason it would hurt him—him, as in, Malcolm. We don't know the whole story—"_

"_Malcolm..." Ezra stood up before Aria could finish and looked toward the window of Lucky Leon's._

Veteran's Day was the first time Aria saw her boyfriend cry. Not just a few teardrops like during their classic movie marathons that he never admitted to. Aria could never forget _these_ tears. They burned into her memory, her pain almost as strong as Ezra's.

_One drop fell before he turned around and looked absently into the distance. Aria watched her boyfriend's face through the reflection of the window while his vision blurred from the outburst of tears that flooded down his cheeks. He buried his face into his hands, then wiped his now-red face before turning around and looking down at Aria, who still sat in her chair, frozen in guilt. She slowly stood up and tentatively put her arms around Ezra, reversing their typical roles. At first he pulled away—but she didn't. He sank into his petite girlfriend's arms and continued to cry in public, in the middle of the street. People walked by. Former students, former colleagues and strangers. All stared for a few seconds at the odd sight of the 5'11" sobbing man being held by the small girl, before quickly going on with their boring, typical insignificant day off from work. _

"_I missed him growing up," Ezra wept. "I missed my own son growing up. First steps. First words. First day of school. Birthday parties. Seven of them and he never even got a damn card from his father."_

Aria was still sitting in the driver's seat of her car, remembering the day that changed their relationship for good. Her blurred vision merged into reality when her phone buzzed beside her.

"_Malcolm is leaving soon. Do you want to spend the night? Love you."_

Aria cracked a small smile. Ezra didn't text her as often he did before he busied himself with a 7-year-old son. Whenever he reminded her that he still loved her, she reassured herself that maybe this could work out after all. Nevertheless, she still had questions. A lot of them. She was about to open her car door when she saw Maggie in her rearview mirror walking from the car that was in her typical parking spot. _Great. _Aria couldn't help but feel threatened by Maggie, knowing that she gave birth to Ezra's son. _But that ugly haircut—what a fortunate turn off. _

After staying in her car for a few more minutes, Aria opened her door and made her way to Ezra's apartment. She saw Ezra, Malcolm, and Maggie standing in front of Ezra's door when she turned down the hallway.

"Bye, bud," Ezra said while bending down to hug Malcolm. "I'll see you in a few days, okay?"

"Bye Dad!" Malcolm's smile seemed to take up his entire, tiny face. He looked so much like the pictures Aria had seen in the photo albums of Ezra as a child, but with lighter hair and Maggie's nose.

Aria walked down the hallway, smiling at Maggie and looking down at Malcolm.

"Hi Aria!" Malcolm ran over to Aria and hugged her. "I wish I could've played with you too. Dad can't color as good as you can."

Aria bent down and hugged Malcolm back. "Trust me, I believe you. Maybe next time," she exclaimed to the eager 7-year-old.

"Okay, we better get going. Thanks Ezra. It was nice seeing you, Aria." Maggie forced a smile. Aria knew Maggie felt just as threatened as she did. When Aria had to start sharing Ezra, Maggie had to get accustomed to sharing her son—and she probably wasn't ready to share him with a future stepmother as well, a pretty young one at that.

Once Maggie and Malcolm exited the building, Ezra bent down to give Aria a kiss. When she barely returned it, Ezra looked at her strangely.

"Are you coming inside?"

Aria walked inside, knowing she was about to ask all of the questions that she was afraid of the answers to. She sat down on the edge of his couch and bit her lip. Ezra sat down next to her.

"I missed you. We haven't seen each other very much this week," Ezra said, putting his arm around her and pulling her closely.

"Yeah," Aria faltered. "We haven't seen each other very much the past month, actually." She looked up at Ezra and he nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm just trying to spend time with my son Aria. You know that." Ezra reached down and picked up the remote from the coffee table. "Are you hungry? We can—"

"No, I'm not hungry, " Aria interrupted and grabbed the remote from his hand, putting it back on the table. "We need to talk."

Ezra turned so he was facing Aria. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Maybe. There could be," Aria looked over at the opposite side of the room. "It depends."

"Depends on what, Aria?" Ezra asked, starting to get impatient. "I'm trying to spend time with my seven-year-old son who I didn't know was alive until a month ago, do not tell me you're angry about that..."

"I didn't say I was angry, Ezra," Aria stressed. "I just want to make sure that this past month isn't going to become a pattern for the rest of our lives, and I'm confused."

"Aria..."

"We're going to talk, like adults, in an adult relationship," Aria asserted. "And I'm not happy, and I'm not going to pretend like I'm happy. But I'm not angry at you, not at all. I'm angry at this screwed up situation because I was perfectly happy living with—or almost living with—my boyfriend. And I don't like that I have to spend so much time sleeping alone in my room, half the nights tossing and turning thinking about us and our future."

"I'm so sorry, Aria. Maggie just doesn't feel comfortable with having you sleep over when Malcolm's here. She doesn't want him to be exposed to that, just yet."

"And I understand that, Ezra. But I'm going to ask you some things, and you're going to be honest " Aria demanded, leaning away from Ezra's embrace.

"This sounds a lot like the beginning of an argument," Ezra stated.

"It won't be," Aria promised, turning her frown into a slight, reassuring smile. "Now can I ask you the question? Or questions, I should say. Because I have a lot."

Ezra nodded, still afraid of where this conversation would lead. He silently promised himself that he wouldn't let her leave angry, and they were going to handle this as adults, like Aria said.

"Okay, let's have a discussion," Ezra returned her smile.

"What's going to happen to us, Ezra?" Aria asked. "We agreed that we'd move in together once I went to college in less than a year. Now what?"

"I'm not sure, Aria," Ezra hesitated. "Maybe we should cross that bridge when we get to it."

"No," Aria said with confidence.

"What about the fishing village in Guam thing?" Ezra joked, remembering an argument they had a year ago. He knew a kiss wouldn't solve this problem like it had then.

"That was last year. Before I really started thinking about leaving you and, and," she stuttered, "before I realized that I was certain I was going to spend the rest of my life with you."

Aria looked down, embarrassed that she admitted she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Ezra. Of course they had both believed in their love and individually assumed they'd get married, have children, and grow old together, but not once did either of them admit this to the other.

"But now, after this, I'm not sure about that," Aria cringed as she admitted her feelings, out loud. "Earlier today, I wasn't even sure if I was ready to be in a situation like this, at all."

"As in, you want to break up?" Ezra tilted Aria's head back towards him with his hand.

"After talking to my mom, she thinks that we should work it out," Aria confessed. "But I was eleven when Malcolm was born, and that alone keeps haunting me and reminding me that maybe I'm not ready for this. You're eight years older than me, at a different point in your life."

Ezra saw that Aria was on the verge of tears. He pulled her back tightly against his body and kissed the top of her head, rubbing his hands up and down her arm.

"You and Maggie have a connection that we won't have for a long time," Aria said quietly into his chest, unsure of herself.

"Well, only if I don't knock you up right after graduation," Ezra joked. "I'm pretty good at that, with my powerful manly sperm." Ezra laughed and flexed his arms.

Aria managed to let out a small laugh. "That isn't funny, Ezra." She playfully hit his arm. "I mean it."

"Why does it matter?" Ezra asked. "Malcolm has existed this entire time and it hasn't made a difference. One day, maybe even in just a few years, we will have beautiful children of our own."

"I can't wait for that," Aria imagined what their children would look like, smiling at the vision of Ezra holding a baby. "And, I guess they'd already have a sibling..."

"That's a good thing, Aria. He will be an amazing big brother."

"I want to spend more time with you, Ezra," Aria demanded. "I'm your girlfriend, not Maggie. Tell her that Malcolm's gonna have to get used to you sharing your bed with a girl. He's seven, halfway to puberty."

Ezra smiled, leaning down to kiss Aria. "I'll talk to her on Monday."

"So, college?" Aria inquired. "What are we going to do?"

"Aria, he's still my son. Yes, we agreed to move in together before we knew about him, but this may change things," Ezra admitted. "I want you to go to college wherever you want, not around here just for me. I'd hate myself if you didn't follow your dreams because of me holding you back."

Aria realized her mother was right. She was always right. Ezra wanted the best for her. Ezra _was _her soulmate.

"But wherever you go," Ezra continued. "I will visit you as often as humanly possible, and we will take advantage of text messages. And picture messages. And a combination of both." Ezra smirked.

"You're such a guy sometimes," Aria slapped Ezra again and pulled him into a passionate kiss. After making their way down onto the couch, their tongues in each other's mouths, she pulled away. "But I think I like that about you."

"I need to take a shower," Ezra stood up and began walking away, taking his shirt off and unbuckling the belt on his pants.

"Ezra!" Aria shouted. "You're just going to walk away and go shampoo your hair when we're in the middle of making out?"

"Well, I was actually hoping you'd wash it for me...," Ezra suggested. "And your hair looks pretty greasy too, now that I'm looking at it."

Aria grinned at the fake insult and followed Ezra into the bathroom, both undressing each other before taking their first—and overdue—shower together, whilst creating a new sacred ground.

* * *

Aria and Ezra lied in bed together after their shower, holding each other as close as possible after the difficult month of silent arguments and empty beds.

Aria turned her body so she was facing Ezra. "Can I ask you a question?" Aria whispered. "And I want you to be completely honest with me even if you think it will hurt me because I'm a big girl and I can handle it. Got it?"

Ezra nodded his head and looked down, quickly kissing her before she could ask the question.

"Did you miss me at all during the past month? Or were you too preoccupied with Malcolm to even realize that I wasn't here, like, ever."

"Well, I love Malcolm, but sometimes your head started replacing his and it got really weird. Kinda like how everything looks like food when you're really hungry...or at least in movies."

Aria laughed. "You're so weird, but that actually makes a lot of sense. Creepy, but accurate."

"Remind me to thank your mother," Ezra said. "Because I don't know what I would've done if you gave up on us."

**I'm pretty proud of myself because I didn't think I'd EVER actually sit down and write a fanfic and here I am, posting a nearly 3,000-word chapter on my second attempt. Thank you for all of the reviews! (P.S. I do not know how to write love scenes for the freakin' life of me. Props to everyone who can write M stories.)**


	3. Chapter 3

After Aria confessed that Ezra had a son, he wasted no time confronting Maggie about it. His sadness and guilt over missing his son's early childhood was replaced with intense anger for his mother and Maggie, both who had viciously betrayed him—or so he thought.

_Ezra pulled away from Aria's embrace and walked over to his car without saying a word. Aria, still standing in front of Lucky Leon's, looked to his car parked on the side of the street. She didn't know if it would be right to follow him, or to allow him to absorb the information on his own. Aria watched him sitting in the driver's seat, his hands holding the steering wheel, his eyes forward, but he wasn't moving. _

_She walked towards the street and looked both ways before stepping off the sidewalk and hesitantly opening the passenger side's door. She looked over at Ezra; he didn't look back. The ride was filled with a tense and uncomfortable silence with both of them focused on the road in front of them as he drove through the streets of Rosewood. She knew this meant he was either angry or preoccupied with his thoughts. Today, she was only a side note in his life, and maybe tomorrow, and a month from now she would be too. _

_Ezra pulled into Aria's driveway and interrupted the silence._

"_Thanks," he murmured. "For telling me." _

"_I don't think I had very much of a choice," Aria admitted. It never felt this uncomfortable to look into his eyes. The typically love-filled beautiful dark-blue irises conveyed deep heartache. _

"_I'm going to drive to Delaware before I chicken out," Ezra said. _

"_Do you want me to come with you?" Aria asked. _

"_No," Ezra stressed. He ran his fingers through his dark curly hair and sighed. _

_Aria cringed at his direct and blunt answer, but knew better than to become upset at this point._

"_Sorry, I just mean—I think it would be better if I went alone. I'll call you when I'm back." Ezra leaned down and gave her a soft, meaningless kiss that she barely felt. Their lips were touching, but nothing was felt between them. _

"_Love you," he said._

"_Love you too," she replied while opening the door of his car and stepping out. Before she closed the door, she looked back into the car and gave him a smile. "Ezra, you missed seven years of his life, but it could've been 17, or even 70, you know."_

"_You're right," he acknowledged. "But it doesn't make me feel less guilty. I'm a deadbeat dad before I was even given a chance to prove myself. What will he think of me?"_

_Aria gave him a look of understanding. "I'll see you soon?"_

_Ezra nodded. "Yeah. I'll call you."_

_Aria received few texts from Ezra while he was in Delaware, only to check in and let her know when he would be returning. When he arrived back in Rosewood, he explained to Aria that Maggie had agreed to let Malcolm stay at his apartment for a couple days a week, and he would watch him whenever she needed a babysitter. Over the following month, Malcolm became more comfortable with Ezra and had started calling him "Dad." Ezra seemed delighted, while Aria was unsure. It felt odd that her boyfriend had a 7-year-old calling him dad, and was once again reminded of their age gap. Aria was Aria to Malcolm; her and Ezra agreed to limit their affection in front of the child. _

Aria stayed over Ezra's apartment all weekend, knowing she wouldn't be able to stay Monday night. The two of them were happier than they had been in a long time after their Friday-night discussion. They spent the rainy weekend staying in and watching movies, sitting next to each other while doing work. Aria decided she would reward herself with a shower after every 1,000 words of her ten-page History paper due the following Monday. Ezra had never enjoyed helping Aria with her homework as much as he did that weekend.

On Monday morning, Ezra sat in front of the TV while Aria was getting ready for school.

"This weekend went by way too fast, but at least I got my paper done a week ahead of time," Aria smirked while fixing her hair in the bathroom. "Do you think this dress is too much for school?" Aria asked while walking out of the bedroom, smoothing out the wrinkled bottom of her dress with her hands.

"Hmm, what?" Ezra asked, not taking his eyes off the TV.

"What're you watching?"

"The news."

"Mr. Fitz is watching the news?" Aria raised her eyebrows in pretend shock.

"They're predicting that the hurricane is going to hit us pretty much dead-on tonight," Ezra said with concern, ignoring her comment.

"Oh, they always say that, and then it barely rains and maybe one of your plants on the balcony will get knocked over," Aria mused. She went back into the bathroom and continued to do her makeup.

"They're saying it's a 90% chance."

"Yeah, well, I still doubt it."

"If you say so," Ezra dropped the conversation.

Aria put her necklace on and walked over to Ezra.

"I'm leaving now," she announced and bent down to kiss him. "I'll see you this afternoon."

"Malcolm will be here too, remember. He has a few days off from school," Ezra reminded Aria after he pulled away from her lips. "Have a good day. I love you."

* * *

Aria sat in her first-period AP History class with Hanna and Spencer, waiting for their teacher to begin the class. Aria sat in front of Spencer, and Hanna sat directly next to them.

"I haven't even started my term paper yet," Spencer groaned. "If I don't get an A, it will destroy my GPA."

"I finished it this weekend at Ezra's place," Aria said.

"How? I haven't even developed my thesis." Spencer crossed her arms and glared at Aria.

"And I don't even have a topic at all. But I work way better under pressure," Hanna added. She wasn't worried about a perfect GPA.

"Well, let's just say I have a little bit of motivation to finish," Aria admitted without looking either of them in the eye.

"You're so lucky, Aria. When Caleb and I want to be alone, we have to bribe Spencer to let us use her lake house."

"Hey, you didn't even have to ask before you decided to do it on Nana's couch," Spencer accused. "But Hanna's right. Toby and I have to get creative to find time to be alone without being cockblocked by one of my parents."

"And here's Aria, all domestic with Ezra, an apartment where they can do it whenever and wherever they please. Look, they even have a kid," Hanna pointed out. "It's like you're an old married couple."

"I do not have a kid," Aria defended herself. "Ezra has a kid, who happens to be quite a bit of a cockblock. If you don't remember, Ezra's apartment is one room?"

"How could I forget? You got mad at me for getting comfortable on top of—what did you call it?—the 'sacred ground,'" Hanna teased, using her fingers as quotation marks. "By the way, I do not like thinking of my old English teacher having sex. And now not only did you just force me to think about it, now I immediately picture it whenever you say you're going to Fitz's apartment. Ew."

"How do you think I feel about my Nana's couch?" Spencer asked the girls right as their teacher cleared her throat, ready to start her lecture.

* * *

After school, Aria drove over to Ezra's apartment. The storm had become increasingly strong; the rain and wind were already making it difficult to drive. She almost decided to drive home, but was already going in the direction of Ezra's anyway.

Aria opened Ezra's apartment door and was welcomed by an excited Malcolm, who was sitting in front of the TV watching _Finding Nemo._

"Aria!" Malcolm squealed. "Dad didn't tell me you were coming over."

"Then I guess it's a good surprise, right?" Aria asked.

Malcolm nodded his head and continued to eat the bowl of Chex Mix on his lap.

"Where were you?" he asked. "You missed the best part of the movie."

"I was at school, and it's okay, I've seen it before." Aria sat down next to the little boy on the couch, who was wearing a green and navy blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Do you teach like my mommy does?" he casually asked, still paying most of his attention to the TV.

Ezra walked out of the bathroom when he heard Aria. Aria looked over at him, silently asking if she should tell the truth.

"Not exactly...," she hesitated. "I go to school to learn, like you do."

Malcolm stopped watching the movie and looked at Aria inquisitively.

"Are you an adult or a kid?" he asked, clearly confused as to what her role was to Ezra.

Aria laughed and playfully put her hand on Malcolm's head, messing it up. "I guess a little bit of both."

Ezra walked over to the two and sat next to Aria on the couch. When Malcolm looked back at the TV, Ezra kissed Aria on the cheek. "I missed you today," he breathed closely into her ear. Aria blushed and turned to kiss him on the lips without Malcolm noticing. Ezra leaned against the couch and pulled Aria back with him, putting his arm around her.

"Malcolm, why don't you come over on this side with me?" Ezra insisted. "Then I can have one of you on each side."

"It's okay Ezra, I can't stay long anyway," Aria said. "It was already pretty difficult driving over here from school. The storm is getting bad."

"No!" Malcolm protested and looked up at Aria with sad, glistening eyes. "I want to watch the rest of the movie with you. Please Aria? You can have some of my Chex Mix, and you can use my _Cars _umbrella."

Malcolm's eyes were identical to Ezra's. Dark blue and impossible to say no to. Tears were beginning to form, and she couldn't help but laugh at how similar he was to his father.

"No, Malcolm, I don't want Aria to hurt herself trying to drive in the storm," Ezra stated. "Trust me, I want her to stay just as much as you want her to."

"It's okay, I can finish the movie and then I'll go. It shouldn't be that bad in 40 minutes, right?"

Forty minutes later, the credits for _Finding Nemo _began to roll and Aria stood up, putting her bag on her shoulder and zipping up her jacket. "I better get going, boys."

"I'm glad you got to see Nemo find his dad," Malcolm beamed, looking up at Aria. "That part makes me so happy."

Aria bent down in front of the small boy. "I'll see you soon, Malcolm. Make sure your Dad behaves, okay?" she teased, grinning at Ezra. "And if he doesn't, make sure to tell me so I can punish him."

Malcolm laughed and hugged Aria. Aria turned to Ezra and hugged him tightly, then kissed him on the cheek. "Do you want to go somewhere for dinner tomorrow if my dad lets me?"

"Sure. See you then," Ezra walked Aria over to the door. "Be careful and drive slow, and don't text or use the phone or anything. I'd drive you home if I didn't have him here," Ezra said while pointing to the couch where Malcolm sat.

She walked out of his apartment and made her way downstairs to the front door. She stepped outside and looked around her. Inside the safe haven of Ezra's apartment, the storm didn't seem too bad. But outside, the trees looked like they were about to uproot and the rain was practically falling horizontally. Two inches of water flooded the side of the street where her car was parked and a small amount of debris covered the sidewalk. The sky was an eerie dark gray, making it seem more like nighttime rather than 4 p.m. She ran back inside and slammed the door behind her. Her heart began to beat rapidly as her anxiety increased. Aria was terrified of storms, but tried to get past it. But not right now—not tonight. She wasn't going anywhere. Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jacket with a new text. Expecting it to be from her father demanding she come home immediately, she groaned as she took it out and looked at the screen.

_If you're at Ezra's, stay there. I don't want you driving in this weather. Stay safe. - Dad_

Aria knew the storm was bad if her dad wanted her at Ezra's. She opened the door to Ezra's apartment, clearly distraught.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Ezra quickly came over to comfort Aria, seeing the terror on her face. "Alright, you're not going anywhere tonight."

"But, Malcolm," Aria began.

"It doesn't matter. You're both staying, okay?" Ezra put his arms around Aria and kissed the top of her head. "I know how you feel about storms." He held her for a minute before Malcolm ran over to them.

"The storm is really scary," he cried. "Are we going to be okay?"

The wind wailed outside the windows, the walls creaking with every gust of wind that brushed past them. Malcolm looked up at Aria and Ezra with worry written across his face. The lights flickered a few times and then, after a few seconds, completely went out. Aria didn't let go of Ezra and Malcolm started to cry, clinging onto his father as well.

"We're going to be fine," Ezra reassured the two of them, laughing inside as he held both his girlfriend and his small son. "Shh. Shhh. It's okay." He kissed Aria's forehead and rubbed Malcolm's back.

"Let me go find some candles and flashlights," Ezra said. Aria and Malcolm didn't let go. "You need to let go of me so I can find them."

Aria and Malcolm released Ezra from their death grip and allowed him to blindly feel around his desk drawers for a source of light. He placed a few random pieces of junk on top of his desk while he tried to find something useful.

"Here's a flashlight," he said, handing it to Aria. "And here are a few candles and some matches."

Ezra placed the candles on his coffee table and kitchen table and lit them, illuminating a small part of the apartment. He realized that if Malcolm were not here, it could even be considered romantic. The wind would be in their distant thoughts as they made love in the candlelight. Unfortunately, that was not the case. As much as he loved and adored his son, the opportunity would be far more useful for some private time with his girlfriend rather than comforting his terrified son.

"I want my mom," Malcolm whimpered, sitting on the couch alone. Aria walked over to him and sat next to him.

"It's okay, sweetheart. The storm won't hurt us. We're safe in here," Aria consoled the sobbing boy. She realized how odd, but good, it felt. She truly felt like she was doing something right as Malcolm calmed down and stopped crying.

"Aria's right, buddy," Ezra promised. "Nothing can hurt us while we're inside." He walked over to Aria and Malcolm, joining them on the couch and squeezing his hand.

A strong gust of wind hit the window, making a loud creaking noise. Malcolm's eyes jumped and Aria gasped at the unexpected sound. Aria tried to hold in her fear, as to not worry Malcolm. Ezra gave her a comforting smile and squeezed her hand as well, rubbing his thumb across the top of her knuckles.

Aria entertained Malcolm by reading him some of Ezra's more kid-friendly books from his bookshelves. Although Malcolm knew how to read well, Ezra didn't own anything from his reading level. He was fascinated by the amount of books that covered Ezra's walls, but became disappointed when Aria wouldn't read any of the ones he picked out because they were, as she said, "big-big-kid books." Ezra looked on and listened to Aria read to his son, her soothing voice perfect for the job. These were the moments that made him fall in love with her even more deeply. After a couple hours, Aria thought it was time to show up Ezra's coloring skills as Malcolm suggested a few days before. The two pretended to have a coloring battle as Malcolm cheered on, ultimately naming Aria the winner and giving her a prize of one of his own masterpieces. The storm raged on but was forgotten quickly with the laughter and cheers of the three filling the room.

"Let me make your bed for you, Malcolm," Ezra said at 9 o'clock. He spread a couple blankets on the couch and placed a pillow at the end. "Here you go. The best couch bed in all of Pennsylvania."

Malcolm got under the covers of his bed, squeezing the teddy bear he brought with him. He fell asleep within minutes.

"Well, that was fun," Aria smiled up at Ezra, leaning in for a deep, passionate kiss, one that they've wanted to share since she stepped into his apartment at 3. "Although the candles..."

"Me too," Ezra knowingly agreed.

He walked over to his dresser and took a t-shirt out. He threw it at Aria, who took her clothes off and put on the oversized t-shirt that fell about five inches above her knees. She slid into bed and watched Ezra as he took his clothes off and stepped into a pair of pajama bottoms. Without distractions, the storm seemed three times as loud. Aria began to shake and her eyes were wide open, looking over at the windows that suddenly seemed way too close to the bed. She tried to conceal the fear on her face, but Ezra wasn't fooled. Another loud gust of wind shook the windows and Aria couldn't hold back the whimper that snuck out from her throat. Not a lot scared her, but storms made her feel like a small child, wanting Ezra to comfort her again like Malcolm hours before.

Ezra slid into bed next to her and pulled her close to his body. She moved her head to the top of his chest and closed her eyes, trying to forget about the storm.

"Aria, stop worrying," Ezra said. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know, but I can't help it," Aria explained. "Storms like this always make me feel like something terrible is going to happen, like I'm never going to see everyone I love ever again."

"I love you, Aria," Ezra held her even tighter. "Goodnight."

As Aria and Ezra were about to fall asleep, another gust of wind howled loudly outside, waking Malcolm up. Aria wrapped her legs around Ezra's body and squeezed him tightly. Malcolm ran over to the bed.

"Come on, get in," Ezra said, moving himself and Aria over to make room for Malcolm.

Malcolm snuggled into Ezra's side and fell back asleep within minutes. Ezra slept on his back in order to accommodate both Aria and Malcolm's bodies snuggled into him. He had one arm around Malcolm, the other around Aria. He laughed to himself again, thinking of the absurdity of the situation. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, tightly holding the two most important people in his life.

Aria's phone buzzed from its spot on Ezra's dresser at 7 a.m., waking Aria and Ezra up. Ezra reached over and looked at the text message.

_Rosewood public schools closed for the day due to damage and power outages from severe weather._

"Well, looks like you get to stay here for a little bit longer," Ezra said.

"In that case, I'm going back to sleep," Aria mumbled, half asleep.

A few minutes later, Malcolm shook Ezra awake.

"Dad, can you get up?" Malcolm whispered, trying not to wake Aria up. "I want breakfast."

Ezra sat up in bed and stretched, nodding his head. He poured Malcolm a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice.

"Your mom will be here soon, so after you eat you need to get dressed," Ezra directed.

"Okay," Malcolm responded, his mouth full of Cheerios and milk.

Fifteen minutes later, a knock was heard on the door. Malcolm was dressed and trying to fit his teddy bear into his small backpack. Ezra opened the door for Maggie and motioned for her to come in. She hugged her son tightly.

"I missed you, Malcolm," she said. "Did you have fun with your dad? Were you scared last night?"

"Mom, I had so much fun last night! The power went out and Dad and I had a sleepover with Aria," Malcolm slipped out, not knowing he was getting Aria and Ezra into trouble.

Hearing everyone's voices, Aria sat up and stretched. Maggie immediately noticed her in Ezra's bed. Aria climbed out of bed and walked over to Maggie to say hello, forgetting she was only wearing Ezra's t-shirt over her underwear.

"Come on Malcolm, we need to get going," Maggie demanded, giving Ezra a stern look.

"Maggie...," Ezra faltered.

"See you on Friday, Malcolm," Aria said, smiling and looking down at him.

"Well, we'll see," Maggie said rather coldly. "Same goes for you, Ezra." She grabbed Malcolm's hand and walked out the door.

* * *

**Thanks for all of the nice reviews and suggestions! I wouldn't be writing this at all if you guys didn't want me to. I'm trying to distract myself from this hurricane (and, as you can see, it inspired part of this chapter). I'm aware that hurricane season is over when this story takes place (early December-ish) but it just wouldn't have the same effect with an intense blizzard or something like that. Also, I did a little research, and discovered that Rosewood, PA (based on Rosemont, PA) is about 30 minutes from the border of Delaware, where I have decided Maggie lives (versus 2 hours away further into Delaware.)**

**If you have any other suggestions or anything you'd like to see, feel free to let me know!**

**Random irrelevant side note: When Malcolm asked if Aria was a kid or an adult: This was actually inspired from something a kid asked me once. I was helping with my cousin's 8th birthday party and one of her friends looked at me strangely, as if she wanted to ask a question. She then asked if I was a kid or an adult. I thought it was cute...and funny, as I'm 22.**


	4. Chapter 4

The slam of Ezra's apartment door startled Aria's barely-awake body. Maggie didn't slam it hard enough to frighten Malcolm, but both Aria and Ezra knew she wasn't happy. Aria slowly turned her head towards Ezra, hoping to find that he wasn't upset. He brushed his fingers through his hair with one hand, his other scratching the back of his neck. His eyes didn't move from where they stared at the floor, until they slowly moved up to Aria's bare feet and legs. Usually he did this in a loving gaze, admiring her body lustfully before he'd say something that would make her heart melt, and she'd feel beautiful and loved. But today he just looked at her, and she felt ugly. His eyes were empty. Aria was heavy on the cold floor. She didn't know if it was his dark stare or the soon-to-be winter weather, but suddenly the lack of heat froze her body. She finally opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find any words.

"Ezra."

A painfully long silence sat between them while Aria waited for him to take over. He moved his head to look Aria in the eyes, as if that was enough of an answer.

"Ezra, why did she say that?"

"You're only wearing my t-shirt," he pointed out.

"And?" Aria questioned. "It's practically a dress on me. Malcolm didn't get a show."

"You know why she said that, Aria," he said. "For some reason, she doesn't want you here with Malcolm, especially not dressed like that."

"Are you sure she doesn't want me here with Malcolm?" she asked, her tone becoming more angry. "Or does she not want me here with _you_?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Ezra put his hands up. "Do you actually think I'd let Maggie do that?"

"Yes, I-"

"No, Aria. No. Stop. I'm not doing this again."

"You can't be angry with me, Ezra. You are the one who told me to stay. And, for the record, you also tossed me this t-shirt last night."

"I should've driven you home yesterday," he admitted.

Aria's body flinched at the stinging words, her face falling in disbelief at her boyfriend's honesty. Her cheeks reddened as the inevitable tears welled up behind her eyes, something that happened way too often lately.

"I thought we had fun yesterday," she angrily cried at Ezra. A single tear fell from her eye. "I thought this, this whole thing," she pointed towards the floor, "this whole situation that I hate, I was finally starting to not hate it so much after last night. Malcolm likes me, don't you want that?" She paced back and forth a few feet in front of Ezra.

Ezra hated himself for making Aria feel this way, for stringing her along while he tried to figure out his new life and how she could fit into it.

"Of course I want that, but Maggie doesn't," Ezra clarified.

"Once again, Ezra, Maggie isn't your girlfriend," Aria hissed.

"But Malcolm is _her_ son."

"I'm aware, otherwise I would've given birth while I was playing hopscotch and reading _Little House on the Prairie_."

Ezra walked away and sat on the couch. He didn't respond to Aria right away, who was still standing and trying to stop the tears from falling. The simultaneous anger and sadness would not allow her to calm down and sitting was not an option. She was embarrassed; she felt like she was 17 even after trying to convince herself that she was more than just a teenager. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from Ezra. Her face scrunched up while she cried, seconds away from running out the door in Ezra's t-shirt.

"As much as I want you here," Ezra said calmly, "I don't think you should come over when Malcolm's here anymore."

"Maybe I shouldn't come over at all." Aria didn't move from her position. She couldn't look at Ezra.

"You don't mean that, Aria."

"I think I do." She turned around to face Ezra. "I'm sick of being the last thing you think about in your life ever since Malcolm came along."

"Maggie is the one who decides if I get to see my son, Aria!" Ezra shouted, standing up now and walking over to Aria. "If she doesn't trust me, she could easily take him away from me for good." He towered over her small body, standing inches away from her.

"And obviously you don't care if she takes _me_ away from you," Aria shot back into Ezra's face.. "Ezra, I'm still trying to figure this out! And I think the answer is that I can't. I can't live in this, in your little family, at least not now, and clearly neither can you."

"Please calm down and talk about this with me, Aria," Ezra grabbed Aria's hand and she pulled it back as if he was nothing but a stranger, and not her lover.

"I thought you loved me more than _this mess,_" Aria asserted.

Aria didn't give Ezra a chance to defend himself. She picked up the first pair of jeans she could find in her drawer Ezra had cleared out for her and entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She lifted Ezra's t-shirt over her head, using it to wipe the tears from her face and eyes. It fell to the bathroom floor. After getting dressed in her jeans and her own sweater, she picked up Ezra's t-shirt and stuffed it in her purse.

"I'll pick up my other stuff later, probably while you're not here" she said while walking to the door without looking back. "I can't do it right now."

* * *

_Ezra started driving south towards Delaware. It was almost noon, and he figured Maggie—and Malcolm—had the day off as well. He was trying to get used to the name of his son. He wished he could have been sitting next to Maggie with an open baby book to give his unborn son a name, arguing over why each name would or wouldn't work. He wondered if Malcolm looked like him or if he looked more like Maggie. If he looked more like Maggie, he still had a small ounce of hope that he wasn't his. That Maggie quickly moved on and had a child with some other man, and he didn't miss his child growing up._

_For years he wanted closure. He tried contacting Maggie for months after she left, giving up once he found it to be nothing but hopeless. Most of the time he forgot about Maggie, especially over the last year or so since he had met Aria. She was the reason he could put the past behind him, and focus on his, _on their_, future. That is, until his younger brother Wes screwed it up and let slip it slip that Ezra got a girl pregnant in high school. Then it was as if his past and his future collided, tarnishing the nearly perfect image Aria had of him. He felt like he wasn't good enough for Aria; his baggage proving that he knew how to screw up, and knew how to do it pretty damn well. He initially thought he was ready to move on after knowing that Maggie was happy and leading a successful life. _

_Until Veteran's Day. _

_After nearing the border of Delaware, Ezra's logic kicked in. He didn't know where Maggie lived, and even if he did, he couldn't just show up at her door and demand to see his child. As angry as he was at the moment, he didn't want to make this messier than it had to be. He had a son. He couldn't believe he had a son. He sat up a little so he could get his phone out of his pants pocket and dialed Maggie's number. Three rings later, she answered._

"_Hello, Ezra? How are you?" Maggie asked, seemingly unprepared for the demand Ezra was about to request._

"_Could be better," Ezra answered, with a harsh, biting voice._

"_Is there something wrong? Anything I can do?"_

"_Yeah, I'd like to see my son," he said._

_After Ezra got right to the point, he heard nothing but silence on the other end. He didn't feel guilty for being so harsh, not after Maggie hid something so important from him. _

"_I'm almost in Delaware now. Are you home? Can I stop by?" Ezra asked politely, as if he were only asking to check on her plumbing. Disrespect wouldn't get him anywhere._

"_Yes, yes, we're home, but-"_

"_Good. Text me your address."_

"_Ezra, do you think this is a good idea?" Maggie hesitated. "Just stopping by and surprising Malcolm like that?"_

"_It would've been an even better idea years ago, Maggie," Ezra pointed out. "Where does he think I am?"_

"_We need to talk, Ezra. There's a lot you don't know," she hinted at. "Hang on a second." _

_Ezra could hear Maggie talking to Malcolm in the background, telling him to sit in his room for a few minutes while she talked to "someone from work." _

"_Sorry. I didn't want him to overhear our entire conversation," she whispered._

"_Maggie, I want to meet my son. Today. I cannot go to sleep tonight knowing I have a son I've never met."_

"_Give me at least thirty minutes so I can talk to him."_

"_Fine," Ezra agreed._

"_And Ezra? Don't worry. I've said nothing but wonderful things about you to him. He didn't really ask about you until last year, when his class was making father's day cards in kindergarten...," Maggie trailed off. "That's a day I'd rather not relive."_

_Once Ezra received Maggie's address via text, he entered it into his GPS and started driving the additional thirty minutes to Maggie's house. He pulled into what he assumed to be her driveway. Although her house wasn't large, it was down a quiet street in a small suburban town. She was doing pretty well for only 25, he thought, compared to his cramped apartment he could barely pay the rent on. He opened his car door and stepped out, immediately noticing the evidence that a child lived there. A small bike leaned against the side of the house, a soccer ball sat in the front yard. Ezra smiled knowing that they belonged to his son, but his heart dropped because he didn't get to witness his personality and interests develop as all fathers rightfully should. _

_Ezra quietly knocked on the front door. His anger and confidence had disappeared. Now he was nervous, and almost as terrified as when he stood in the Montgomery's living room holding Aria's hand last January. Although, this time, he wasn't expecting his son to punch him in the face like Aria's brother had. _

_The door opened to an equally anxiety-ridden Maggie, gesturing for him to enter her house. _

_The front door opened into the small living room. The walls were painted a pale yellow and full of family photos, most of them Malcolm. Malcolm sat timidly on one of the couches on the other side of the room. Maggie walked over to her son, leaning down to whisper into his ear. She took his hand and walked him to where Ezra stood. For the first time, Malcolm and Ezra locked eyes. They were identical. _

"_Ezra, I'd like you to meet your son, Malcolm. Malcolm, this is your dad, Ezra."_

_Ezra bent down so he was at Malcolm's level and instinctively stuck his hand out. "Hi Malcolm, it's nice to finally meet you, buddy." He didn't know how to approach a 7-year-old boy, and quickly regretted his very adult gesture._ Do little boys know how to shake hands? Is he afraid of me?Does he hate me already?

_Malcolm loosened up and ignored Ezra's hand. Instead, he fell into Ezra's body and wrapped his arms around him. Ezra reciprocated the gesture and held his son in his arms for the first time. The two of them stayed like that for a minute, each elated to be connected with the other. Maggie looked on and couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face as her son finally hugged the man he had been asking about for quite some time._

_Ezra and Malcolm pulled apart, and Malcolm backed up to be near his mother. _

"_Well, how about you show your dad your room, Malcolm. I bet he'd love your books," Maggie suggested, looking over at Ezra and winking. _

"_Okay," Malcolm said, leading his father down the hallway. When he noticed his mother wasn't following, he grabbed her hand and made her follow them too._

* * *

Ezra watched Aria walk out of his apartment, but he didn't run after her. He dug his fingernails into his palms to maintain the strength needed to stay seated on the couch and not chase her, push her against the wall, and kiss her with all of the passion he had. He was conflicted between the love and commitment he had for his child, and that of his girlfriend—his soulmate.

He had a different kind of love for Malcolm. He was determined to be a great dad, and if that meant having to figure out how to fit him into his life with Aria, he was willing to do so. He refused to sacrifice a relationship with either one of them.

He chuckled to himself, but more in a sad manner than amusement, realizing the situation he gotten himself into was directly the opposite of what he wanted. He walked over to his small kitchen table and picked up the drawings Malcolm and Aria created together the night before. He placed a magnet over them and hung them on his fridge. _Aria was right_, he thought, _I_ _thought this was going to work out, too._

After ten minutes, Ezra dialed Aria's number, expecting her not to answer. When the voicemail picked up, he left a simple message.

"You're right, Aria. You are the last thing I think about, the last thing I think about before I go to bed," he said. "But you're always the first thing I think about when I wake up. I love you—never question that."

* * *

**That last line was so cheesy, I'm almost gagging.**

**Thanks for the concern about the hurricane. It really wasn't that bad here, but I panic easily. Hmm, wonder what inspired Aria's fear. ;) And thank you for the overly nice reviews! They make my entire day.**

**I was trying to write this story in third person limited (Aria). That worked for the first two chapters, but screw that, Ezra's thoughts need to be heard. I'm sorry about the lack of fluff in this chapter. **

******Review, please! Suggestions are great. (Previous suggestions will turn up, I promise.)**


	5. Chapter 5

Aria sat in the chair at the end of her bed, wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a soft magenta sweater—an outfit different from her normal wardrobe, but appropriate for the biting december air and her crowded mind. She stared at a package sitting on her lap that she had received in the mail after school today, running her finger around the tape that held it together.

But what she really wanted to do was throw it against the wall.

The last week Aria alternated between extreme rage and pure heartbreak. It had been five days since she walked out of Ezra's apartment in tears, only returning the next day when she was certain he was at work. A few boxes and a backpack still sat in the center of her room, filled with everything that once belonged at Ezra's. In his bedside drawer, in his bathroom, in his dresser, in his desk. Books, clothes, shoes, towels, toothpaste, school projects, the camera he had given her. She was shocked at the amount of stuff that accumulated, which made the process more difficult. She had to rip herself out of his life, each book, each necklace, each bottle of shampoo, all reminding her how her life had merged with Ezra's over the past year. Getting over Ezra was more than moving out of his apartment; she'd have to remember who she was without him.

A few knocks came from Aria's door before it slowly opened, revealing her father's face. His eyebrows shaped in worry, matching the frown on his lips. The look of a father who was putting this off as long as possible.

"I saw you bring those into the house." He pointed to the boxes on the floor. "Is that from...?"

Aria nodded her head and bit her lip, but the tears managed to come anyway. Again. She held up the small, flat package in her hand.

"Christmas gift," she answered what she assumed to be his next question, not taking her eyes off of the package. "A record from one of his favorite bands that he's been looking everywhere for. He's not the most technology savvy, you know, not like he can order anything on a typewriter," she quietly laughed, still crying. "I ordered it a couple weeks ago after searching online for months, spent way too much, but it didn't matter. It just wasn't what I wanted to find on the steps when I came home from school today."

Byron forced himself to walk into his daughter's room and sat on the end of her bed, at a loss for words at a situation he's never been comfortable with.

"Dad, he hasn't come back for me yet," Aria whimpered. A voicemail wasn't enough. "He always comes back for me."

"Aria, you'll find someone who deserves you in his life," he said. "And he'll appreciate you for everything that you are, and never even consider making this mistake—because it would be the worst decision he could make in his life."

Aria looked over at her dad and smiled, but her father's words only made the tears flow faster. She thought Ezra was that someone.

"I love Ezra," she affirmed, the creases of her mouth returning to her frown. "I know you still aren't happy that I am, or was, in such a serious relationship while I'm still in high school, especially with Ezra, but I thought this was it. No more wasting my time with stupid high schools boys. I was set for life."

Aria pulled her legs up onto the chair and held them against her body, sobbing into her knees. Byron stood and leaned down to embrace his daughter as tightly as he could, his own tears starting to fall in her hair as he watched his daughter in so much pain.

"I can't believe he would do this, to my little girl, after everything I've done to accept him," he consoled Aria, rubbing her back like he had when she was small. "I love you so much, Aria, so much."

* * *

_Malcolm, Ezra, and Maggie stood in the boy's room while he showed his father his books, explaining the plot lines, his favorite characters, and why the villains were so mean. Ezra barely listened, and instead nodded every few seconds while staring at the boy whose existence he discovered no more than 2 hours ago. He took in each feature, from the shape of his eyes to the subtle freckles on the bridge of his nose. Malcolm grabbed Ezra's hand and continued to give him a tour of his favorite things, pointing out his most-prized toys and his "magical" waffle maker in the kitchen._

_Ezra eyed the frames lining the walls as he was pulled around the house, watching his son grow up in the form of photographs. A newborn at the hospital, a chubby-faced two year old playing with toy cars, a nervous 5-year-old as he stood in front of his classroom on his first day of kindergarten. Secretly, and selfishly, he wished Malcolm had Aria's hair and nose instead of Maggie's. If only he were Aria's, everything would be okay. _

"_Okay, Malcolm, I think that's enough," interrupted Maggie. "I need to talk to your dad for a few minutes. Can you stay in your room again?" _

_Malcolm let go of Ezra's hand and sighed, dragging his feet into his room and shutting the door. _

_Maggie led Ezra back into the living room, motioning for him to sit on the couch. The two sat across the room from each other, their first interaction without Malcolm looking on, waiting for the battle to commence. _

"_I can't believe she told you," Maggie said, looking nervously at her hands._

"_I can't believe you'd ask my girlfriend to keep a secret like that," Ezra remarked, a bitter tone overwhelming his voice._

"_I didn't have a choice, Ezra," Maggie said. "Your mother threatened me, and your girlfriend went behind your back and—"_

"_Threatened?" Ezra questioned. "Don't you mean 'paid off'?"_

"_If only you knew the half of it, Ezra," Maggie sighed. "After you told your mother I was pregnant, she called me and told me that if I made you a father at 18, she'd make me regret it." Maggie looked down again, nervously playing with the hair elastic on her wrist. "And I don't want to find out what that means." _

_Ezra stared at Maggie's facial expression, contemplating the validity of her claim. He was aware of his mother's obsession with power, status, and wealth, but he didn't know she would stoop to this level of viciousness. _

"_Maybe she was trying to scare you," Ezra suggested._

"_We both know your mother, Ezra, and we know what she's capable of," Maggie reminded him. "She also sends me a check for $10,000 every year, which goes into a savings account for Malcolm. If I had told you, she might've cut me off, on top of who knows what else. I don't want Malcolm to have to be in debt for the rest of his life because he wants to go to college."_

_Ezra nodded in understanding. "I want to see him, Maggie," Ezra demanded. "I want to be a part of his life."_

"_That's fine. I understand and we'll figure it out," Maggie assured him. "And also? Your girlfriend didn't have to listen to me. Remember that."_

* * *

Ezra lied in bed at two p.m. with his laptop in front of him and the TV on mute, working on a freelance writing assignment. The TV was pointless, but for some odd reason, it made him feel less alone. To the average person, his apartment would seem cramped and fit for one. But all Ezra could see was emptiness. Shampoo bottles missing, empty drawers, abandoned food containers in the fridge. Aria was gone. Malcolm hadn't been there in five days.

He imagined Aria asleep next to him, taking a quick nap after a long day at school. She'd be pressed up against his side with her leg over his, sleeping peacefully as he worked. He never imagined feeling this comfortable and in love with anyone. He wanted to feel this way with Maggie, Jackie, anyone—but it never happened. Whenever he was around Jackie, he wasn't himself. Their relationship was a constant game, requiring too much effort and fake smiles. He'd hide embarrassing photos and never admit to weird hobbies and guilty pleasures. Silences were awkward. Sex was only for pleasure. When he asked her to move in with him, he dreaded the continual moments of forced comfort.

None of that was true for Aria. He could hold Aria close to him in silence without saying a word. He didn't have to try to be anything, or prove himself to her, and she would leave that night, both of them just in love as if they had spent the night making love. When he was with Aria, he felt like Ezra.

A loud, demanding knock startled Ezra. Baffled as to who it could be, he jumped out of bed and straightened his shirt. He opened the door to an infuriated Byron.

"Hello, Mr. Montgomery," Ezra opened the door wide, motioning for Byron to come in. "Is something wrong?"

"Why did you break up with her?" Byron fumed. "After everything, why would you do that?"

Ezra backed away as Byron charged towards his body. He fell back onto the chair in the kitchen area, nearly knocking it over.

"Byron, wait, I didn't—"

"I've spent the past six months trying to convince myself that your relationship was okay, so I didn't have to feel like a piece of shit for letting my beautiful daughter get taken advantage of by a piece of shit!" Byron shouted. "And when I finally started to trust you, seeing Aria as happy as she was, I come home to her crying every day."

"Byron, I would never do anything to purposely hurt your daughter," Ezra said, trying to speak above Byron's voice. "Aria broke up with me."

"What? Why would she do that?" Byron calmed down, backing up and allowing Ezra more space. "Is she pregnant?"

"What? No!" Ezra assured, immediately dismissing the absurd question. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I can't sleep at night wondering how you're going to screw up her life. I pretend like I'm okay with your relationship, but it takes a lot of effort to not barge in here and bring her home every night." Byron shook his head, seeming small and afraid after his confession. "I'm not sure I trust you, and I don't want my daughter to throw her life away for you."

"Trust me, that won't happen," Ezra confirmed, realizing the relevancy of Byron's words. "Not anymore, she can do whatever she wants and not get tied down by me—or any kids, for that matter."

Byron walked towards the door, turning around before he left. "I don't care what happens to you, but I want to see Aria smile again, with or without you in her life," Byron warned. "I don't know what happened, but if there is something you can do to make that happen, you better get your act together and do it."

Byron slammed the door, leaving a stunned Ezra in his dust. After a year of fighting to be with Aria, after being pushed away by her parents—with force—they were the ones trying to push him back.

* * *

Aria, Ella, Mike and Zack gathered around the small kitchen table in Ella's apartment, eating the dinner that Zack had prepared.

"How's Ezra?" Zack asked Aria, trying to make small talk and not realizing the weight of his question. "I'm shocked you're actually eating dinner with us instead of him."

Ella cleared her throat and quietly shook her head at Zack, who quickly got the hint and dropped the subject.

"He has a kid," Mike blurted out, ignoring Ella's silent request. "And didn't have enough time for Aria. Do you need me to punch him again?"

"Mike...," Ella cautioned, "Aria's been through enough, let's just have dinner, and let her take her mind off of it."

"It's okay, mom, it's not like I've been thinking of much else, anyway," Aria shrugged, moving the food around on her plate with her fork.

Zack took a sip of his water, then put his cup down and cleared his throat, looking at Ella before he started talking. "Aria, believe it or not, we have a lot in common," he pointed out, receiving confused looks by the entire table. "Look at me and your mother, right? Even though it certainly doesn't look like it," Zack smiled at Ella, "I'm ten years younger than her, and I have to share her with not one, but _two _kids."

"I guess you're right," Aria agreed.

"But I love your mother, and if I want her to be happy, I need to understand that her children will always be a big part of her life," Zack went on. "And I'm okay with that, because I want to be a part of their life as well."

* * *

Ezra opened his refrigerator at 5 p.m., realizing he hadn't eaten lunch or dinner yet. The empty shelves made his stomach growl; he'd have to order take out, per usual. He sighed and went to shut the door before he noticed the row of juice boxes lining the side of it. Malcolm and Aria generally went through a box of juice in no time, although Aria never admitted to drinking the sugar-filled drinks. She always seemed mature for her age, but when she and Malcolm sat on the couch watching movies while sipping on the straws of their juice boxes, he could hardly tolerate how adorable she was. It was a strange turn-on for him, and he knew this. And, little did he know, so did she.

Ezra slammed the door to the fridge and grabbed his keys and warm winter coat. He was going to get his life back together; he refused to wait a moment longer. Over the past week, Maggie had been making excuse after excuse as to why Malcolm couldn't visit. If she was going to make this hard, he was more than willing to fight to see his son. Ezra dialed her number as he drove towards her house. It almost went to voicemail before she answered.

"Hi Maggie, I'm driving to your house right now," Ezra stated. "So, if you're not home, make sure you are."

After a few minutes of convincing, Maggie promised to be home—with Malcolm. Ezra was going to take this opportunity to do _more_ than demand to see his son, he planned on changing the conditions of his visits. Malcolm was his son too, and he had every right to have his girlfriend around whenever he wanted.

Twenty minutes later, Ezra sat across from Maggie in her kitchen while Malcolm watched TV in the living room. The tension burning from their eyes could build a wall between them, both of them too stubborn to move from their positions, neither of them willing to change their lifestyle to accommodate the other's needs.

"I have the right to see my son, Maggie," Ezra insisted. "And you are not allowed to get angry because Aria happens to be there."

"Ezra, I am only trying to protect him," Maggie replied. "You were not pregnant at 18, you didn't have to raise him on your own, you didn't have to worry about letting him stay with people you've only just met while you worked to provide for him."

"And you're blaming this on me?" Ezra asked. "If I had known, I would've helped you." He slammed his fists onto the table, making Maggie flinch.

"Well, the last time I actually knew you, you were a stupid teenage boy who couldn't properly put on a condom," Maggie accused, crossing her arms against her chest. "I'm not sure who you are now."

"What do you think I'm going to do?" Ezra asked. "Have sex while my son is sleeping on the couch? How stupid do you think I am?"

"How old is Aria?" Maggie wondered. "Because Malcolm was so proud to tell me that she was in school, 'just like him,' and now that I think about it, I don't think she could be older than 18. Don't tell me she is the reason you gave up on teaching."

Ezra looked down at the table and sighed. He was aware that his relationship with Aria was unconventional, and that to the average person, it seemed wrong. Very wrong. But to him, it was everything but wrong. It was the only thing in his life that seemed right. Explaining that to someone who only knew the basic facts was like trying to convince an adult that Santa Claus was real.

"I think your silence answers my question," Maggie assumed. "Now I can answer your question: Only an idiot would date one of his students."

Ezra glared at Maggie, shaking his head at her misunderstanding of their relationship.

"I sacrificed a lot to be with Aria, and she might be Malcolm's stepmom one day," Ezra stated, not even attempting to convey the depth of his feelings for her. "There is a lot more to our relationship than you know, and Malcolm loves her, whether you like it or not."

"Of course he likes her, she could be his sister," Maggie scoffed. "Once you're done with your little obsession with one of your students, or she goes to college and forgets about you, what am I supposed to tell Malcolm?"

Ezra and Maggie both took a deep breath and looked at the other straight in the eyes.

"You're worried that someone else is going to take over your role as his mother for a couple days a week, aren't you?" Ezra asked. "For once, step into my shoes, and think about how I must've felt during the last _seven years._"

"I'm sorry, Ezra," Maggie empathized, a genuine tone to her voice. "It's always just been me and Malcolm all of these years, and I don't know how to handle two new people in his life taking care of him."

"Look, I know this is a difficult situation for you to be in, but we need to figure out what's the best for all of us, and that also includes Aria," Ezra made known. "She's a huge part of my life, and I cannot guarantee that she won't be spending the night when Malcolm is with me."

* * *

On Saturday morning, Spencer convinced Aria to go shopping with her to find Christmas gifts for Emily and Hanna. Spencer knew how miserable Aria had been the last few weeks, and as much as she hated the mall, she knew it would distract Aria for the day. After two hours, the girls took a break at the food court. Two empty smoothie cups sat on the table between them. Spencer was about to ask Aria if she was ready to leave when a small boy suddenly ran towards the table, screaming Aria's name.

"Oh my gosh, is that—?"

Aria nodded. Malcolm approached their table, giving Aria a big hug.

"Spencer, this is Malcolm—Ezra's son," Aria introduced, remaining calm and polite in front of the boy, despite her breakup with his father. "Malcolm, this is my very best friend, Spencer. Where's your mom?"

"My mom's at home," Malcolm announced, a perplexed look on his face. "I'm here with my dad."

"Uh oh," Spencer whispered under her breath.

Aria gave her a worried look. Spencer nodded her head to the side, signaling to the right with the movement of her eyes. Ezra was approaching their table, oblivious to why Malcolm had run off so quickly.

"I miss you, Aria," Malcolm admitted. "Why aren't you at Dad's anymore?"

Aria didn't answer the boy, paralyzed with fear as Ezra was getting closer to their table. If Malcolm hadn't run over to them, she would've been long gone, hiding from Ezra in a nearby store. Malcolm leaned closer to Aria, whispering in her ear.

"I think he misses you too."

* * *

**Byron yelling at Ezra was inspired by wiicked_gamee**** / Jill on Twitter. I know you read this, but I'm not sure of your exact name on here, so...thank you!**

**I might've also been a little inspired by the episode of Gilmore Girls when Luke demands to see his daughter.**

**Your reviews put the biggest smile on my face, especially everyone who says it seems realistic and how they imagine the story happening on the show. As much as I appreciate fluffy fanfics, I try hard to stay true to the characters and story portrayed on TV—so that means a lot! **

**bite-me-im-irish: I'm sorry I couldn't update sooner when you were bed-ridden. I would've if I had magical writing fingers. :)**

**Also, no M chapters will be happening. I might get close, but nothing that would require an M-rating. I really don't feel comfortable writing them. I'm sorry! I try to include the words "sex" and "made love" as often as possible. Cue your awesome imaginations at these times.**

**REVIEW PLEASE! They motivate me to keep writing.**


	6. Chapter 6

Malcolm didn't leave Aria's side, as much as she wished he would. If only he ran back to Ezra, she could dodge behind the pole standing close to their table. But Malcolm continued to stare at Aria with Ezra's eyes, eagerly waiting for a response from his father's "best friend."

Spencer glared at Aria, waiting for her to say something to the boy standing inches away from her. "Why are you at the mall today, Malcolm?" Spencer asked in attempt to make small talk with the child while Aria remained frozen.

"I can't tell you," Malcolm looked at Spencer, a smirk appearing on his face, rocking back and forth on his feet.

"And why can't you tell me?"

Malcolm moved closer to Spencer and put his hand against her ear, leaning forward to whisper into her ear. "Because Aria's here."

Spencer's eyes grew wide and she looked back at Aria, who was seemingly oblivious to Malcolm's presence.

"Aria," Spencer tried to get her attention, dragging out the second 'A' in her name. She waved her hands in front of Aria's face. "Will you look at me?"

Aria snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards Malcolm and Spencer. "I can't do this."

"You can't do what?" Malcolm asked, his childhood innocence evident in his voice.

Aria stood from the table and walked quickly towards a kiosk 15 feet behind them where she was hoping to hide from Ezra's view. She was nearly sprinting before she felt a hand tightly grasp her arm and turn her around. Aria expected to see Ezra; instead she found Spencer forcibly dragging her back to the table.

"You can't walk away, Aria," Spencer ordered while dragging Aria towards their previous location. "You know pretty damn well you're only making yourself miserable." Aria attempted to escape from Spencer's grasp by pinching the skin on her fingers. Spencer winced in pain and released Aria's elbow, but at this point, it was too late—Aria felt naked in the wide-open food court.

Spencer located their table with the empty smoothie cups, but Ezra was already walking in the opposite direction with Malcolm's hand in his. Aria was both relieved and disappointed that he didn't come after her. Spencer turned to look at Aria.

"I'm sorry, Aria."

"For what?" Aria asked with exaggerated enthusiasm. "You're the one who forced me to turn around."

"If only you could see your face when you realized Ezra had left," Spencer pointed towards Ezra and Malcolm, "you wouldn't even believe that lie you're telling yourself."

"Spence," Aria began, nudging Spencer's arm without not looking at her. "Spencer!"

"What?" Spencer moved her head to see what Aria was looking at, and saw Malcolm tugging on Ezra's hand, the two stumbling towards them. Ezra's eyes were closed shut.

"Don't open them yet, Dad!"

"Hurry up, Malcolm, before I run into somebody."

Ezra and Malcolm were standing a few feet away from Aria and Spencer. The busy crowds of Christmas shoppers walked on either side of them, many giving them dirty looks and grumbling rude remarks at the four blocking the walkway in front of the stores.

"Open them!" Malcolm squealed, anticipating his father's reaction. "Surprise!"

Ezra opened his eyes and immediately locked them with Aria's. Malcolm looked up at the two of them, standing proudly with his small arms crossed. Spencer quietly chuckled at her newfound teammate and put her hands on her hips.

"Aria," Ezra hesitated. "I didn't know he was bringing me to you."

"Malcolm, do you want to come with me to—" Spencer began, but was interrupted when Aria grabbed her arm and stopped her from leaving.

"Can Aria come over, Dad?" Malcolm stared at Ezra with a hopeful, desperate gaze.

"If she wants to, she can." Ezra didn't take his eyes away from Aria.

"I can't." Aria didn't take her eyes off of Ezra either. Their eyes fought against one another, speaking the words that they couldn't say in front of Spencer or Malcolm.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked.

"Because I don't have a reason to be there," Aria snapped.

"Yes, yes you do!" Malcolm insisted. "I'll be there."

The crowds continued to move around them, every so often getting nudged by a stroller or clumsy toddler. Spencer rolled her eyes at Aria in exasperation, silently begging her to give in and say yes to the boy—and the man—standing in front of her.

"Dad, you said Aria was your best friend, why doesn't she want to come over?"

"Maybe we're not friends anymore, buddy," Ezra sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

Aria tilted her head to the side, pursing her lips in response to Ezra's comment. She left Ezra's gaze and bent down in front of Malcolm. "He said I was his best friend?" Malcolm nodded. "Maybe I'll try to forgive him, because that's what _friends_ do, right?" she said, stressing the word 'friends.' She knew she needed more, but she wasn't ready. She couldn't go back to the way it was.

Ezra frowned at the use of the word 'friends,' but got the hint and was willing to do anything to have Aria back in his life. Friends or lovers, he couldn't do this without her.

"Come over tonight," Ezra pleaded. "Malcolm and I are baking cookies and decorating my apartment for Christmas, and we need your help."

Spencer looked up from where she was mindlessly picking at her nails and elbowed Aria in the side.

"Fine," Aria gave in. "I'll be there at 6."

"We did it!" Spencer cheered, putting her hand out for Malcolm to high five. "Team Spencer and Malcolm!" Malcolm giggled and slapped the hand of his new friend.

While Aria and Ezra's mouths had one conversation, their eyes had another. "I'll see you tonight, Aria." He grabbed Malcolm's hand and disappeared into the fast-moving crowd.

* * *

_Although Maggie only lived thirty minutes away from Rosewood, Ezra stayed in a nearby hotel room for a few nights while he got to know Malcolm. Or that's what he told himself. Most of him was afraid to face Aria. Once he returned home, he'd have to talk to her—as promised—and he wasn't ready for that. When Aria confessed that he had a son, his initial reaction was to the news of being a father, not to the fact that his girlfriend lied to him about something so important. Now that's all he could focus on._

_Being alone in the cheap, bland hotel room allowed Ezra endless amounts of time to think. He rolled from side to side each night as he attempted to fall asleep with contradicting thoughts tangled in his mind. Maggie had a point, right? Aria didn't have to follow through with requests made by a stranger; the only loyalty she owed was to her boyfriend. Aria was supposed to be the one person he could trust, and he couldn't determine if this was longer true. _

_Ezra was a logical person. His relationship with Aria was far from logical, and he constantly asked himself if maybe logic was right after all. Every time they fought, every time they were forced apart, he wondered if their relationship was exactly what everyone else saw. A 25-year-old man holding the hand of one of his former 17-year-old students. She couldn't possibly have the maturity to handle everything that comes with an adult relationship, right? Wrong? _

_But he loved her more than that._

_Ezra's eyelids shot open at 10 p.m. when his phone buzzed inches away from his ear, frightening him out of his sleep. He had spent the past two hours debating whether he should speak to Aria. He wasn't prepared to speak with her until he decided where they stood, if he was angry or just disappointed. By not communicating at all, he was already making his point. The phone continued to buzz until he hit decline. A few moments later the phone lit up with a new voicemail. _

"_Hey Ezra, I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes before I went to bed. I hope everything went okay. And I hope you're okay, too..." The line was silent for a few moments; the only sound was Aria's quiet breathing. "I love you and miss you. So much. Goodnight." _

_Aria's voice was shaky and unsure; it was quite obvious that she had spent minutes beforehand deciding what to say and how to say it. With the uncertainty of her voice came overwhelming sadness. Sadness that almost gave him the determination to call her so he could say goodnight. _

_They never went to bed without saying goodnight._

_Ezra picked up the phone a few minutes later, his thumb lightly pressing on her name in his contacts. _

_He selected "send message." _

"_Sorry, I was in the shower. Goodnight Aria. I love you too. I'll be home tomorrow night."_

_A simple text, no commitment to how he felt. He did love her. He would be home tomorrow. Did he trust her? _

_He wasn't sure._

_Could love exist without trust?_

_Not for long._

* * *

Ezra maniacally cleaned his apartment while Malcolm sat at the small kitchen table eating a grilled cheese sandwich and pretzels. Malcolm had just finished spreading a new forest green table cloth over the old, worn-out wooden table and placed a new poinsettia in the center. That was his contribution for the night.

"Dad?"

"Yes, buddy?" Ezra responded while putting new pillowcases on the pillows lying on his bed.

"Why did Aria seem so sad at the mall?" Malcolm took a sip of his juice box and waited for his father to reply.

Ezra placed the pillow on top of the mattress and sat in chair adjacent to Malcolm. He exhaled loudly and smoothed his hands over the top of his jeans. "I made her sad last week after you left."

Malcolm crossed his arms and lowered his eyebrows. "Why?"

"We got into a fight."

"Why?"

"She thinks I don't love her very much."

Malcolm's eyebrows raised, his jaw slightly dropped. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Yes, Aria is my girlfriend," Ezra admitted, slowly nodded his head. "Or she was." He moved one hand to the back of his neck. "And for the record, she was wrong—I love her very, very much."

"You should give her flowers!" Malcolm beamed. His eyes lit up and he sat up straight in the chair.

Ezra laughed. "Where would you get that idea?"

"I watch TV, you know," Malcolm smirked and jutted his chin.

"We better get to the store then, huh?" Ezra winked. He grabbed his wallet from the kitchen counter and put it in his pocket.

Malcolm jumped out of his chair and grabbed his coat. "Hurry, we need to go before she gets here!" He ran towards the door and waited for Ezra to join him. "Good thing I'm here, otherwise she wouldn't be coming over, right?"

Ezra laughed and the two scuffled out the door.

* * *

Aria picked a dress out of her closet and eyed it up and down before stuffing it back in, groaning in frustration. Another long shirt-dress thrown across the room. A pair of jeans by her feet. She collapsed in the chair beside her bed.

"And why does it matter what you wear, again?" Spencer asked from the edge of the bed, one eyebrow raised.

"Because I can't give him the wrong idea," Aria stressed.

"Then wear a pair of jeans and a cute 'Aria' shirt," Spencer sighed, lying down on Aria's bed.

"But that says 'comfortable.' I'm not comfortable," Aria snapped at Spencer, standing up to look in her closet again.

Spencer slid off of Aria's bed and picked up a pair of tights and a dress from the floor. She shoved it towards Aria. "Wear this."

"I wore that earlier, Spence."

"Exactly. Nothing says _nothing_ like wearing one outfit a day like normal people, Aria," Spencer teased, lying back down on Aria's bed. She felt a lump of clothing under her head and pulled it out from under her. It was a large faded worn-out gray t-shirt, way too large for Aria. "Why is this on your bed, right near your pillow?" Spencer sat up and smiled at Aria, holding the t-shirt up.

Aria grabbed the shirt from Spencer's grasp and hugged it close to her body. "It's exactly what it looks like."

"Why did you two break up again?" Spencer lay down in her previous position.

"He never wants to see me anymore." Aria sat on her bed, pushing herself back and lying next to Spencer with the t-shirt sitting on her stomach.

"Then what was that at the mall?"

"He doesn't love me like he did before Malcolm showed up."

"Bullshit," Spencer declared, not moving from her position. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling.

Aria shot up in a sitting position and looked down at Spencer with narrowed eyes. "Why would you say that?"

"He just found out he has a _son_, Aria," Spencer reminded her. "And he's already comfortable enough to share him with you, and he's trying to fit both of you into his life, even with the risk of pissing off Malcolm's mother and losing his son," Spencer turned her head and looked up at Aria. "If you don't think that's love, then you might as well burn that t-shirt."

Aria ran the cotton of the t-shirt between her fingers, not taking her eyes off of it.

"You should bring a toothbrush tonight." Spencer winked at Aria, nudging her in the arm with her elbow.

* * *

Aria knocked on Ezra's door a few minutes after six. Ezra opened the door and held his arm out, motioning for her to come in. Malcolm raced over to her with a bouquet of roses and a shy smile.

"Are these for me, Malcolm?" Aria turned towards Ezra, raising one eyebrow at her ex-boyfriend.

"You seemed upset today, so we decided to get them for you," Malcolm announced, handing Aria the roses.

"You can't get mad at me." Ezra put his hands up in surrender. "Malcolm got them for you, right buddy?"

"Must've been one successful lemonade stand," Aria joked, not taking her gaze away from Ezra.

"Do you like them?" Malcolm asked.

"They're beautiful." Aria smiled towards Malcolm. She opened one of Ezra's cabinets and took out a vase and started filling it with water. Ezra grinned; he missed seeing her make herself at home.

Aria put the vase on the table with the roses inside, and turned to take in his apartment. Ezra's couch was piled with newly-bought Christmas decorations—strings of lights, ornaments, a few fake candles, a mini plastic Christmas tree. Aria realized that this would be her first real Christmas with Ezra. The previous year, they had only been together for a few short months and she didn't consider Ezra's apartment to be her own, they exchanged gifts and ate a nice lunch, but she went home before her family became suspicious.

Now they were barely speaking, and Christmas was quickly approaching. Weeks before she had imagined sitting on Ezra's lap on Christmas Eve, drinking hot chocolate between frequent quick kisses. No intense make-out sessions, just small kisses, the kind she could never get enough of. At the time, she couldn't wait to give Ezra his gift. Now it sat on a shelf in her closet collecting dust while she waited to find out if she should return it—or not.

"Can we start decorating?" Malcolm asked, getting impatient.

"Sure, if everyone wants to?" Ezra looked at Aria for approval.

Aria nodded her head and bit her lip to hold back tears. She missed him. She missed this. And as much as she adored him, she wished Malcolm wasn't there. She wanted to collapse in Ezra's arms and forgive him, but she couldn't allow herself to give in.

Ezra opened his laptop that was sitting on his desk and started to play some Christmas music on low volume. Aria remained in the same position, feeling awkward and strange in the once familiar place. Suddenly she wasn't sure where to put her arms or if she should sit, questioning every move she made and what her role was at this time. She picked up the plastic Christmas tree from the couch and decided she might as well contribute.

An hour later, the apartment was decorated for the remaining couple weeks before Christmas. It wasn't overly bright and obnoxious, but subtle decorations brought warmth and holiday spirit to the typically dark and neutral space. Malcolm sat on Ezra's shoulders while he taped a string of lights above the window.

"This is fun!" Malcolm exclaimed from Ezra's shoulders. He started reaching to a far corner of the window, but his small arms couldn't quite reach. He nearly stumbled off of Ezra before Aria ran over and balanced him.

"Maybe it's time for you to get off now, Malcolm," Ezra directed. Aria reached for Malcolm and placed him on his feet. "I'll have to grab a stool or something to finish this."

"Or Aria could do it," Malcolm suggested.

"Malcolm, thanks for volunteering me, but if you haven't noticed, I'm about a foot shorter than your dad."

"No!" Malcolm laughed. "It's your turn to sit on his shoulders.

"I can't." Aria shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her. "I don't like being that high."

Aria knew it wouldn't be a good idea to sit on Ezra's shoulders. The last couple of hours, she forced herself to act as a friend, not as a girlfriend. Sitting on his shoulders could potentially be her breaking point. And she didn't want to be on top of Ezra when she broke down.

"Wimp," Malcolm teased and grabbed Aria's hand, dragging her to Ezra's side. "Please? We need to finish the lights."

"Fine," Aria gave in and waited to be lifted up. Ezra lifted her on top of his shoulders with little struggle. She was shaking and she knew Ezra could sense her anxiety. Reaching over to the other side of the window, she put the final piece of tape over the string of lights and expected to be placed down onto her feet.

Instead, Ezra looked up into Aria's eyes and whispered loud enough for only Aria to hear. "I lied," he breathed. "The roses were from me."

Aria looked down towards Ezra and frowned. How could he be doing this to her? Right now? In front of his son?

"Forgive me?" He whispered, barely making a sound. He was holding her legs tight.

Aria shook her head and mouthed "Not now." Her eyes welled with tears, remembering a similar instance almost a year and a half ago.

Ezra ignored her plea and repeated himself. "Please forgive me?" He took a deep breath and exhaled, before pressing a soft kiss on the top of her leg. He knew he was crossing the line.

Aria lightly brushed her fingers through Ezra's hair. She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "Okay."

* * *

**TEAM SPARIA!**

**Some of this was inspired by the Ezria game on Twitter the other day.**

**Thanks for the lovely reviews! I'm happy to make you sob.**

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	7. Chapter 7

Aria lightly brushed her fingers through Ezra's hair. She bent down and kissed the top of his head. "Okay."

Aria remained sitting on his shoulders, content and comfortable to be so close to him. Ezra breathed a sigh of relief, holding onto her legs even tighter than he was before. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her chin on the top of his head, closing her eyes and slowly breathing in the familiar scent of her boyfriend. He pressed his lips on the inside of her thigh while he lightly rubbed his hands up and down the bottom of her legs. They lived in a lasting, paused moment of pure love and safety. The lights had been taped in front of them for what seemed like minutes before he backed up a few feet and kneeled down, tossing her backwards onto the couch. He turned and bent down, pressing Aria into the back of the couch while giving her a long, but innocent, kiss.

She returned a shy smile and giggled, looking behind Ezra to see Malcolm sitting on the floor. His nose crinkled, his eyes squinted, making a sour face.

"Dad, maybe you shouldn't have gotten her the flowers."

* * *

_Ezra closed the door to his hotel room, holding a small plastic bag of clothes and necessities to last him while he stayed in Delaware. His hotel room served as his safety net for the last few days, free of conversations he didn't want to have, arguments he didn't want to start. Closing the door was difficult; his own anxiety acted as a hurricane-strength gust of wind, preventing him from moving down the hallway to the front desk where he'd have to return his room key._

_He placed the key onto the counter. "Checking out. Fitz."_

_After typing for a few seconds, the welcoming middle-aged woman smiled. "Ezra?" _

"_Yes, that's it."_

"_Alright, you're all set. Have a great day."_

_Ezra gave her a polite but tired smile, barely registering the quick exchange. There was no going back to the safety of the bland hotel room walls. He turned around and walked out the door of the small hotel. He pulled out his phone to let Maggie know he was on his way to her house when he noticed two new texts from Aria. His stomach dropped. _

"_Just wanted to know when you'll be home." And about an hour later, a much more blunt text filled with the emotion she had been holding back. "You don't have to answer me. I know the last few days have probably been hard, but please don't forget how much I love you and want to be here for you."_

_Ezra did remember how much she loved him. _

_But he also remembered how much he loved her too._

* * *

Aria, Ezra, and Malcolm sat on the couch in Ezra's apartment watching _Elf_. Aria was tightly curled into Ezra's side under a blanket they shared, her arms wrapped around one of his as if she were hugging a stuffed animal to its death. Her head rested on his shoulder, her petite legs were bent and lying on the couch. Malcolm sat at the other end under another blanket, engrossed in the movie.

Aria had fallen asleep shortly after the movie started. Quiet, delicate snores filled the room.

Malcolm ripped his eyes away from the screen and turned to look at Aria and Ezra. "Is that Aria snoring?" Malcolm giggled.

"Yes," Ezra admitted, putting his index finger up to his mouth. "Shhhhh, she likes when I pretend that she_ doesn't_ snore." Ezra took his other arm and brushed her hair out of her eyes, watching her intently as she breathed in and out. He carefully leaned down to kiss her forehead, causing her eyes to flutter and slowly open.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," Ezra whispered into Aria's ear.

Aria yawned. "I don't mind waking up to a kiss," she mumbled, still half-asleep. Her eyes closed again and she snuggled closer into Ezra. "What time is it, anyway?"

Ezra held up his wrist to meet his eyes. "It's almost ten-thirty."

Aria moved the blanket from her lap and sat up with her feet on the floor, stretching her arms. She put her hand on Ezra's knee. "I should probably go now."

Ezra nodded his head. "You can stay, you know?" His eyes pleaded.

"I can't." Aria stood up and adjusted her dress. "I-" She looked around the room. "I didn't bring my toothbrush."

Ezra cocked his head to the side, not believing her excuse. He sighed. "I'll walk you out, then." Ezra stood up from the couch. "Malcolm, I'll be right outside the door, alright?" Malcolm nodded his head, his attention glued to the movie.

"You're going to walk me fifteen feet to your door?" Aria laughed.

Ezra lowered his eyebrows and glared at her resistance, knowing that she knew exactly why he wanted her to come with him. Aria nodded her head and bit her bottom lip. She picked up her jacket from one of the table chairs and the two walked outside the door. Ezra carefully closed the door behind him.

"Ezra, I'm not ready to stay over yet," Aria began, trying to keep her voice down. "We need to talk when Malcolm isn't around."

"Why do we need to talk, Aria?" Ezra put his hand to his forehead, brushing his fingers through his hair, his other hand leaning against the doorframe. "Is there seriously anything we have not covered in the several discussions and arguments we've had recently?"

"I don't know, but I don't feel right just jumping back into your bed yet." Aria gave Ezra a reassuring smile. "When is Malcolm leaving?"

"He's leaving very late Sunday night," Ezra whispered. "Maggie went to one of her college friend's weddings in Virginia, and asked if Malcolm could stay with me for the weekend."

Aria groaned. "I love Malcolm, but this situation is a pain in the ass."

"It wouldn't be if you would just pretend he's not here and stay over," Ezra pointed out. "Stay. Please."

Aria shook her head. "What if I come over Sunday afternoon and stay over?" She put her hands on his shoulders and stood on her toes, pressing her lips against his. "Goodnight."

"I'll see you Sunday, I guess," Ezra pulled away and turned to open the door. "I love you."

Aria began walking towards the stairs but turned back to look at Ezra. "I love you too."

* * *

Saturday's time passed excruciatingly slow for Aria. She spent the day with her mother in Philadelphia, having lunch and shopping for Christmas presents for her family. Aria tapped her fingers impatiently on the table of the quaint sandwich shop they had stopped at, waiting for their waitress to bring them their meals. Unlike most days, the two didn't exchange many words; instead, Aria mindlessly scrolled through the various social networking feeds on her phone.

After spending nearly two weeks apart, Aria wanted to be with Ezra today. Why didn't she say yes? Her stubbornness and instinct told her it would send the wrong message to forgive so easily after a breakup, but really, was he the one to blame? Or was she? She thought she knew all of the answers to how to act and react in a serious relationship, but recent events taught her that she didn't know very much at all. She frowned at her phone, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving so suddenly the night before.

"Someone tag a bad picture of you?" Ella laughed. Aria didn't answer. "Not that one exists, I was just—"

"No, sorry, I'm just thinking." Aria looked up at Ella and put her phone next to her on the table; a small, unconvincing smile masking her discontentment.

"Is this about Ezra?" Ella asked, reaching over for her daughter's hand.

Aria breathed, her hand lying underneath her mother's. "Sometimes I realize I'm not as wise as I thought I was." She took her hand back and rested the palms of her hands on her chair. "And lately, I don't know what's right or what's wrong, what's fair, if I'm being selfish..." Aria trailed off. "Ezra and I made up last night, but I left his apartment not feeling much better than when I walked _into_ his apartment."

Ella slowly nodded her head. "I hate that you have to go through this so young, Aria," she sighed. "Why do you feel like that?"

"I'm confused, Mom," Aria confessed. "I have no idea what is acceptable to expect in our relationship. Am I being selfish for being upset that I'm no longer his priority?" Aria rested her chin on the palm of her hand, her arm supported by the table. "I guess I'm disappointed because, even after getting back together, it's not going to change how I feel about him having a son."

"That's understandable, Aria," Ella sympathized. "He only found out a month or so ago; you two will probably figure it out and reach a balance, but you'll have to endure the bumpy road while you do that—just like you have to do with all new experiences."

The loud vibration of Aria's phone on the table interrupted the conversation. She picked it up and looked at the screen.

"Ezra?" Ella asked with a look of approval.

Aria shook her head. "No, it's his brother, Wes," she said in disbelief, opening the text.

_How's life as a stepmother? Haha. Hope you're okay! I'm coming to Rosewood next week. See you then? _

Ella raised one eyebrow. "Why is he texting you?"

Aria rolled her eyes and looked up at her mother. "He helped me out when I first found out about Malcolm," she defended. "I'm not going to get with my boyfriend's brother just because he's closer to my age and happens to look like him and doesn't have a son."

Ella laughed. "Then why does it sound like you've thought about it?"

"To prepare for times like this," Aria pointed at the table. "When you suggest that I want to hook up with my boyfriend's brother."

* * *

Aria dragged her feet down the hallway of Ezra's apartment, aware of the fact she'd have to wait an agonizing amount of time before Malcolm left. She loved Malcolm and he always made her smile, but she wanted some damn alone time with her boyfriend without hearing the adorable giggles coming from across the room when they managed to show any type of affection whatsoever.

Aria shifted her purse in front of her and dug through its contents, looking for her key. Before she could find it, the door opened to Ezra and Malcolm, standing side by side with their hands behind their backs, each with their own mysterious smirk. Ezra bent down to press his lips against hers and reached for her hands, dragging her into the apartment without pulling away from the kiss. When Ezra eventually pulled away and moved out of her view, Aria realized what was behind the smirks.

"Aria, look what we made!" Malcolm beamed, running over to the center of the apartment where the couch and coffee table were—or at least used to be.

Blankets, sheets, upturned furniture, and other odds and ends were piled to make a fort. A complex fort, very similar to the ones she remembered building with Mike. Mike never settled for hanging a sheet over two pieces of furniture and calling it a day; he made intricate blueprints on a piece of notebook paper and always insisted on perfection. Aria was fine with one sheet, but after hours playing inside the palace of forts, she was thankful for her brother's determination as a small child. Ezra and Malcolm's fort brought a wave of nostalgia. _This must be a boy thing. _

"How cliche of you, Ezra," Aria leaned into Ezra, whispering into his ear. "Making a fort? Did you Google 'fun things to do with kids'?"

"I did this all of the time as a kid, so I thought, why not?" Ezra chuckled and motioned towards the entrance of the fort with his hand. "And maybe you should take a look inside before you judge."

Aria raised an eyebrow at Ezra and hesitantly moved towards the fort, crouching slightly to fit into the entrance. Underneath the blankets sat the couch in its usual place, with the table and chairs from the kitchen on the other side. A few cushions lay on the floor in another corner with a sleeping bag on top, forming a makeshift bed. It was pitch dark except for a few battery-powered lanterns. One of the lanterns sat on the kitchen table, next to the vase of roses and a prepared meal that filled the space with a delicious aroma.

Aria sniffed the air and smiled. "What is that smell?" Aria shouted so Ezra could hear outside. She sat on the couch as there was not enough room to walk around comfortably.

Ezra crouched under the entrance and came in, sitting next to Aria. Malcolm followed. "I tried to replicate the meal you had at that restaurant for your birthday," Ezra explained, taking Aria's hand. "You talked about it for days, so..."

"And it tastes _really _good, Aria," Malcolm continued. "I already tried it."

Ezra leaned closer to Aria and breathed into her ear. "And I thought this would be somewhat romantic because I missed you.'" Suddenly the fort seemed too warm, with Ezra breathing so close to her ear and sitting so close on the couch.

"Can we eat now?" Malcolm interrupted.

Aria directed her eyes towards Malcolm. "Yeah, well, it _would _be," she said under her breath, loud enough for Ezra to hear. She stood up and made her way to the table, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I feel like I'm five again, when I'd make my mother serve me in my playhouse just because it was so fun to eat somewhere other than the kitchen table," Aria laughed, then looked at Malcolm who sat next to her. "Thank you for helping, Malcolm."

"It was Dad's idea," Malcolm admitted, looking down at his food as he shoveled it into his mouth.

Aria shifted her gaze to Ezra across the table. "Thank you for this," she said quietly, motioning to the space underneath the fort. "I needed it."

Ezra nodded and swallowed the bread he was chewing. "I know." He picked up his glass of water and sipped, putting it back down next to his plate. "I'm trying to make this work." He looked at Aria directly in the eyes, begging her to understand how desperately he wanted it to work. "For you, for me, for us." He reached under the table where Malcolm was not sitting, lightly touching the top of her leg. She put her hand under the table on top of his, rubbing the top of his hand with her thumb. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it before letting go. A small, comforting smile appeared on Aria's lip, one that Ezra was internally asking for.

"I'm done," Malcolm announced, pushing back on his chair and flopping onto the couch, naively interrupting the much-needed moment between the couple. "Now what?"

Aria turned towards Malcolm and giggled. "Well, we could play a board game?" She suggested. "I think your Dad has Monopoly."

"Can I be on your team, Aria?" Malcolm asked, running over to her.

"Of course you can," she agreed, looking at Ezra. "But it might be unfair because your Dad stinks at this game."

"Really?" Ezra played along. "Well, you'll see."

After hours of playing Monopoly and discovering new activities to do in the fort, Malcolm passed out on the cushions. Aria and Ezra sat on the couch, waiting for Maggie to knock on the door at any second. Ezra put his arm around Aria's shoulders, looking at the time on his watch. It was passed midnight.

"You know, you owe me for this past week," Aria yawned, snuggling her head into Ezra.

"What do you mean _I owe you_" Ezra asked, irritated that she wasn't satisfied. "I made you this dinner, and we made an awesome fort for you."

"No, Ezra, you _owe_ me," she shifted and made eye contact with Ezra, lifting her eyebrows before he understood. "But I think we can negotiate." She smiled up at him.

Aria rested her head on Ezra just as they heard a knock on the door. Ezra stood up and gently picked up Malcolm's sleeping body from the cushions, and exited the fort with difficulty, crouching with Malcolm over his shoulder. Aria opened the apartment door for Ezra. They exchanged smiles with Maggie, not wanting to make any noise that would wake up Malcolm. Ezra placed Malcolm into Maggie's arms. After Aria handed Maggie Malcolm's backpack, Ezra kissed the top of the boy's head.

"Thank you," Maggie whispered. "I'll see you in a few days, right?"

Ezra nodded. "Yes, just call me when you find out what's going on." Maggie nodded and he closed the door.

The second Ezra turned around, Aria pounced into his arms and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist; a menacing smirk appeared on her face. He fell backwards against the door, creating a large bang, not expecting such a sudden move from his girlfriend. He played along and supported her legs by holding her thighs, pulling her closer to his waist. Aria rarely acted on opportunities like this—and neither did he—but the last few weeks had driven the two to madness. Aria passionately pressed her lips against his, forcing them to open, happy to feel Ezra's tongue next to hers immediately. She wanted to be as close to him as possible. She didn't need a bed, or a shower, or a discussion. She wanted this, and she wanted it now. He did not argue—because he wanted it too.

Ezra turned their bodies around, pushing Aria up against the door instead. He removed his lips from hers and hungrily started kissing down her neck, pausing to pull her shirt over her head. Aria reciprocated and began to unbutton his, throwing it to the floor after a few seconds. She didn't hesitate and reached for the button of his jeans as he moved his hands to her back and worked on removing her bra.

On the other side of the wall, Maggie and Malcolm were approaching apartment 3B as Aria and Ezra were disposing of their clothing. Every few seconds they crashed into the door, creating a harsh, loud bang each time.

"I think I left my bear," Malcolm whimpered, "under the bed," he sniffed, "or maybe in the fort."

Maggie held onto Malcolm's hand, dragging him back to Ezra's apartment.

"Don't worry, honey," she soothed. "I just hope they haven't went to bed yet." Maggie heard a noise coming from the apartment; she assumed it was coming from the kitchen or the bathroom. "Oh good, they're still awake."

Just as Ezra pulled the jeans off of Aria's legs, Maggie quietly knocked on the door, immediately regretting her decision. The door crashed up against the doorframe twice as she heard heavy breathing and quiet moans on the other side.

Aria's eyes shot open in pure terror, her defined eyebrows reaching as far as they could on her forehead.

"Holy shit," Ezra cursed quietly under his breath. He reached down and pulled his pants up over his boxers, "The one time we decide to act in extreme haste," he mumbled, "this happens."

"Do you think she heard us?" Aria asked, bending down to pick up her clothes from the floor.

"Oh crap," Maggie put her hand to her forehead, realizing her terrible mistake. She grabbed Malcolm's hand and started shuffling quickly towards the stairs.

"Are they okay, Mom?" Malcolm asked in concern as he was dragged by his mother. "Why did Aria sound like that?"

Maggie heard the door open, turning around to see a disheveled Ezra. His hair was messy, his shirt untucked. Maggie and Ezra looked at one another, both equally as humiliated.

"I'm so sorry, Ezra, I," Maggie began, but was cut off by Ezra.

"No, don't apologize," Ezra quickly shook his head, trying to communicate that _what just happened_ didn't actually _just happen_.

"Malcolm forgot his teddy bear, and he has trouble sleeping without it, and we were only in the parking lot, so we—"

"Hang on, let me just see if, I mean," Ezra stumbled on his words, "I need to ask Aria something." Ezra opened the door, making sure Aria was hiding in the bathroom or fully clothed. "Do you want to look for it?"

Maggie stepped into the apartment, cringing as she noticed Aria forgot to pick up her bra from the floor. Ezra noticed too, discreetly kicking it behind the door before Malcolm found it.

Malcolm ran into the fort and immediately found his teddy bear. "I found it," he shouted, running over to Ezra and holding it up. "Where did Aria go?"

"Oh, she's in the bathroom right now." Ezra bent down, giving Malcolm another hug. "Don't forget your bear again."

"He won't," Maggie insisted. "And if he does, hopefully you and Aria are patient enough to wait before you," she smiled, enjoying the traumatized look on Ezra's face, "...go to sleep next time?"

Ezra nodded his head, glaring at Maggie. He waved goodbye to the two of them for the second time that night—and hopefully the last.

Aria slowly pushed the bathroom door open, the door creaking in the dead silent room. She stepped out with her arms crossed against her chest, her head down in shame—still wearing nothing but her navy lace boyshort panties. Ezra looked over towards the bathroom and tried to suppress the laughter that was waiting in the pit of his stomach.

"I usually like to say 'well, at least it makes for a good story,'" Aria pointed out, stepping closer to Ezra. She lifted her head up. "But I don't think I can tell anyone _that _story."

"I could help you forget about it," Ezra winked, reaching his arms out and pulling Aria closer to him. "But let's ditch the door idea this time?" He chuckled, leaning down to kiss Aria. "In case Mrs. Rosenthal wants to bring us cake."

Aria managed to laugh. "At midnight?" Aria directed Ezra's attention to the fort with her eyes and smiled. "Hmm?"

Ezra grabbed her hand, bringing her into the fort behind him.

A few hours later, Aria and Ezra lay naked and out of breath, tangled closely together in the sleeping bag on the small bed of cushions under the fort. The lanterns dimly lit the space; she could barely see Ezra's face. Ezra could barely see hers either, but he definitely noticed the shadows their bodies created against the fort walls of layered white sheets.

"Well, now I won't think of childish forts the same way—ever again," Aria whispered into the crook of Ezra's neck, bringing herself closer to him before she fell asleep.

"Indeed," Ezra mumbled, embracing Aria tightly in his arms.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Thanks to Florence for helping me out when I was stuck. Love you!**

**Disha, this fanfic isn't so innocent anymore, huh? ;)**

**Yes, I stole a line from episode 308. **

**Did you notice the connection between_ Elf_ and _Finding Nemo_? Oh, how clever I am. **

**This chapter was difficult for me to write. I hope it pays off and you enjoy it. I guess it ended up being super long!**

**I'm not sure if this is information you'd like to know: But I'm totally winging this shit. As in, this story has an extremely rough outline, and by rough, I mean I have a page full of weird notes about things that might happen, and interesting places for sex to occur that will probably never make its way into the story because I'm as innocent as what Taylor Swift pretends to be. So, hang in there and enjoy the bumpy ride (kind of like Ezra's door) and give me suggestions (not just sacred ground locations).**

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! And tweet me, too. (Do I need more exclamation points?)**

**HAPPY LATE THANKSGIVING to those who live in the U.S.! I'm thankful for you.**


	8. Chapter 8

Aria closed the door behind her and unbuttoned her jacket, kicking off the short black boots on her feet. She stood on her toes and reached to hang up her jacket, turning her head to see her father descending the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he looked up and noticed his daughter.

"Oh, I assumed it was Mike coming home," Byron said, not moving from the bottom of the stairs. "Were you," he hesitated, "Were you at...last night, did you just come home from—?"

Aria nodded her head. "Yeah, I just came back from Ezra's," she confirmed, avoiding his eyes and the words "slept over."

"Oh, so you two are okay now?" Byron asked, a hint of discomfort in his voice.

Aria nodded her head again and crossed her arms. "We made up a few days ago."

"I'm glad you're happy." Byron forced a smile. "Also, don't forget that Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Florence and Uncle Jeff, and Aunt Lucy and Uncle Ian are coming over with your cousins for an early Christmas on Thursday."

"I didn't forget, Dad." She opened her mouth and closed it again, hesitant to ask her next question. "Would you mind, if, uh, if Ezra came?"

"I was waiting for this to happen," he sighed. "I'm not going to stop him from coming, but be prepared because, well, that's a lot for your family to take in, sweetheart."

"I know, and thank you." Aria took a deep breath. "Can I talk to you about something in the living room?"

Byron nodded, fear evident in his eyes. "Sure." He smiled and headed into the adjacent room, sitting on one side of the couch, the same place he sat when he discovered Aria and Ezra's relationship. He scooted over.

Aria sat next to him. "I'm not sure if you've talked to mom or Mike at all, but," Aria started, not sure how to tell her father, "well, I mean, I hope they didn't tell you without asking me first, but—"

"Aria, calm down," Byron comforted Aria, putting his hand on her knee. "If I can handle _last year_, I can handle whatever this is."

"Ezra and I were having problems because I found out he got a girl pregnant in high school and has a seven-year-old son," she blurted out. "We didn't find out until recently."

Byron stood up and started slowly pacing across the living room, trying to suppress his anger. He only visited Ezra last week, and he never mentioned a son. He never mentioned why they were having problems.

"We're figuring it out, Dad, but I just thought I should tell you," Aria mumbled, following her father with her eyes as he walked back and forth. "I didn't want you to find out on your own."

"Are you okay with this, Aria?" Byron stopped and looked at his daughter. "Don't you think this is a bit too much for you to take on at 17? Don't you realize you'll have no choice but to play a role in this child's life?"

Aria bit her lip and looked down at her feet, slowly nodding her head. "Yeah, we've spent a lot of time together, and while I miss how it used to be," she looked up at her father, looking him straight in the eyes, "I'm trying to get to know Malcolm, his son, because I'm willing to fight for what I have with Ezra."

Byron sat down next to his daughter again, looking down at his hands. "Don't let him force you into this," he stressed, turning to look at Aria. "If it gets too hard, please do not let him string you along."

Aria nodded, leaning over and falling into her father's embrace.

* * *

_Ezra walked up to Maggie's house, preparing to say goodbye to his son. Even though he was returning to Pennsylvania, back to his apartment, back to picking up odd writing jobs, back to Aria—he knew his life was never going to be the same. After three days of "getting to know" his son, Ezra anticipated the day they'd have a genuine father-son relationship. One where he could ride roller coasters with him, help him with his homework, pick out that special Christmas present. He wanted all of this, but did he want to drag Aria into it too?_

_The door opened before Ezra knocked. Maggie let Ezra in as she shouted for Malcolm to come to the door. He ran into the room and lit up at the sight of his father. _

_Ezra took Malcolm's hand and led him to the couch before sitting down. Malcolm stood directly in front of him, waiting for his father to speak. Ezra cleared his throat and put his hands lightly on his son's shoulders. _

"_I have to go home now, to Pennsylvania," Ezra began. Malcolm looked down and frowned. "But your mom and I figured it out, and you can come stay with me sometimes." Ezra turned his head toward Maggie, who was leaning against the archway that led to the kitchen, listening intently. He looked back at his son. "And I want to introduce you to someone." He could see Maggie from the corner of his eye noticeably shaking her head. _

_Malcolm looked up at his father, his eyebrows lowered. "Who?" _

"_My best friend in the entire world," Ezra smiled. "She makes me happy, and I think you will like her too."_

* * *

Aria rushed down the hallway of Ezra's apartment on Thursday afternoon, the first day of winter break in Rosewood. She needed to get ready for the Montgomery family Christmas party before Ezra returned from Delaware with Malcolm. Despite her fears, she decided to invite Malcolm along as well, knowing Ezra wasn't able to spend Christmas day with him. She dug her key out of her bag and unlocked the door, slamming it behind her.

"Hey Aria, wasn't expecting you here so early," a voice said from the other side of the room. Aria looked up and saw Wes standing near the edge of Ezra's bed.

"Why are you here?" Aria put her bag down on one of the chairs, directing her attention to Ezra's brother.

"My winter break from college started last week and I thought I'd visit Ezra. Hope you don't mind," Wes replied. "I knew Ezra kept a key under his doormat, so I let myself in."

"Well, we are heading out as soon as he gets here with Malcolm." Aria immediately realized an apparent problem. "Oh no, have you met Malcolm yet?"

"Calm down, Aria, I met _my nephew _a while ago," Wes shared, somewhat offended. He put his hands in his pants pockets. "He's cute, huh?"

Aria smiled and nodded, walking to the bathroom. "I need to get ready."

"How are you dealing with all of this?" He wondered with genuine concern in his voice. "Last time I saw you, you were freaking out about even telling him."

Aria sighed. She turned around and sat on the couch. Wes sat across from her.

"Everything is fine," she muttered, looking down and playing with a loose thread at the hem of her skirt. "We're adjusting."

"Why don't I believe you?" Wes stood up and sat next to Aria.

"Look, Wes, Ezra and I have already had our share of problems in the last month," she snapped, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't need_ you_ bringing them up again."

"I wasn't trying to upset you. I see you as one of my friends, you know." He smiled. "And I know if I were you, I would _not _be handling this that well."

"Sorry," she apologized, turning her head and looking at Wes. A tear fell down her cheek. "You're right—I'm not handling it that well."

Wes put one arm around Aria in attempt to comfort her. She pulled away from his awkward touch just as Ezra opened the door. Ezra looked at his brother and his girlfriend, lowering his eyebrows, slightly balling up his fists. Malcolm emerged from behind him.

Aria jumped up from her seat. "I still have to get ready." She made her way towards the bathroom when Ezra grabbed her arm and turned her around so she was facing him. She tensed up, prepared to defend herself against Wes's inappropriate move.

"You could at least say hello to me," he grinned, leaning down to press his lips against hers. She was surprised; her mind was too far away to reciprocate the gesture. He pulled away and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "We'll talk later," he mouthed. Aria nodded and closed the bathroom door behind her.

"I didn't realize you two had to be somewhere," Wes told his brother, who still had his eyes on the bathroom door. "I should probably go, then."

Ezra turned his head towards Wes and narrowed his lips. "Yes, you probably should," he hissed.

* * *

Aria sat on the edge of Ezra's bed while she pulled on a pair of black tights. She wore a royal blue dress, which flowed out at the waist and hit a few inches above the knee. Ezra sat impatiently next to his girlfriend, wearing black pants and a dark maroon button-up shirt. He slid on his shoes and tapped his foot as Aria started to put on her jewelry. Malcolm was playing with Ezra's iPhone at the kitchen table, engrossed in a game.

"Didn't you want to get there _before _the rest of your family?" Ezra asked. He leaned closer to her, breathing in her ear. "You look beautiful, you don't need another bracelet to convince anyone of that." He placed a few kisses on her shoulder and attempted to make his way to her neck.

Aria moved a few inches over on the bed and frowned, looking down at the top of her legs. "Not now, Malcolm's here," she mumbled. "Why aren't you mad at me?" She didn't look at him.

"I'm not mad at you, it was clear you didn't do anything." He lightly moved her chin with the tips of his fingers so she was facing him; she still looked down. "I'm more concerned that you're still 'not handling it that well'?"

Aria shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted, lifting her eyes to meet his. "That's all I have to say. I just don't know." The creases of her mouth raised slightly. "That's all I can give you."

Ezra nodded his head. "I understand." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "Are we ready to go?" He asked, loud enough for Malcolm to hear.

Aria smiled when she remembered something. "Wait a minute!" she beamed, rummaging through the top drawer of Ezra's dresser. "I have a Christmas gift for the two of you."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow night, Aria?" Ezra asked, raising an eyebrow. "I haven't even wrapped your gift yet."

"No, we can open them now, Dad!" Malcolm ran over to Aria and Ezra. "Aria said so, and she's the boss."

Ezra chuckled, taking a small gift from Aria's hand. Aria handed Malcolm an identical-sized package.

"You have to open them now," she demanded. "At the same time."

Ezra gave Aria a hesitant look, and she motioned with her hands for him to hurry. Malcolm and Ezra ripped open their gifts, each holding matching navy ties, with little Santa Clauses and reindeer patterned over them. Malcolm's tie was much smaller than Ezra's.

"I thought you could wear them tonight_,_" she insisted, standing in front of Ezra to help put on his tie. Once she was done, she wrapped her arms around Ezra's neck and put her hands in the back of his shirt, absentmindedly playing with the tiny hairs on his back.

Ezra looked down at Aria, leaning down so his head was inches from hers. "Thank you," he mouthed into her lips. She nodded and smiled, knowing it wasn't for helping him put on his tie or for giving them a gift. He was thanking her for giving them—him and Malcolm—a chance.

* * *

Aria held onto Ezra's hand in front of the Montgomery's front door. Malcolm stood between them, nervous about being in an unfamiliar place. Ezra looked down and examined his shirt and pants; he was worried he might have missed a wrinkle or a stain. He was going to make a first impression for many people tonight—people that may or may not be part of his family one day. For the first time, he was being welcomed into the Montgomery household as Aria's boyfriend instead of Byron's colleague. Being the boyfriend of Byron's only daughter held more importance—and subsequent anxiety—than simply being the guy who used to work down the hall.

"Shouldn't we go in?" Ezra asked. "This is your house..."

Aria glared at him. "I guess so," she sighed. She opened the door to the house, allowing Malcolm and Ezra to walk in before her, but still held onto her boyfriend. "Dad? Mike?" she called. "We're here!"

Byron emerged from the kitchen as Mike jogged downstairs from his room, both dressed for the occasion. Byron in a gray shirt with a red tie, Mike in a cranberry-colored v-neck sweater.

Aria let go of Ezra's hand and held Malcolm's, pulling him out of his hiding place between her and Ezra. "Dad, Mike, I want you to meet Malcolm," she introduced in a soothing voice. "Malcolm, this is my Dad—you can call him Byron—and that's my brother, Mike," she pointed to each, respectively.

Mike bent down and stuck out his hand. "Hey Malcolm, it's nice to meet you," he smiled at the small boy. "Are you excited for Santa to come in a few days?"

Malcolm nodded, immediately lighting up. "I asked for an iPhone, but I don't think I'm getting one," he groaned. "Mom says Santa can't make kids iPhones, even though he's _supposed _to be magic."

The four adults giggled. "Malcolm, it's very nice to meet you," Byron chimed in. He seemed hesitant about the situation in front of him, staring at his daughter's hand wrapped around Malcolm's. She was _so comfortable_ with him, a mother-figure instead of a friend. Byron expected Ezra to handle the introductions, to be comforting his own son. "Aria told me all about you and how you made an awesome fort the other day." Byron then turned to Ezra. "Hello, Ezra."

"Hello, Byron." He handed him a platter of cookies, trying not to think of the fort, and what exactly happened in the fort once Malcolm had left. His face started turning red, the room immediately heated up. _Why did Aria have to tell him about the fort? _"Thanks for, uh, having me and Malcolm over tonight."

"Thank you." He accepted the cookies. "And anything to make Aria happy, I guess." He looked down at the platter. "I'll go put these in the kitchen, and I better check on the turkey."

_Anything to make Aria happy. _

"Ezra, are you okay?" Aria waved her hand in front of his face.

"Sorry," he apologized. He looked directly into her eyes and smirked. "I was just thinking about _the fort."_

Aria's eyes shot open, her eyebrows raising significantly. "Get it our of your head or the next few hours will be hell, Mr. Fitz," she whispered. She stood on her toes and leaned into him, giving him a light kiss on his lips.

Aria helped her father in the kitchen while Mike entertained Ezra and Malcolm in the living room. Soft Christmas music played throughout the first floor of the house. A large Christmas tree stood in front of the window behind Ezra and Malcolm, stockings hung on the fireplace. About fifteen minutes after they arrived, the doorbell rang.

Mike peeked out the window. "Dad, Aria," he called to the kitchen. "Aunt Florence, Uncle Jeff, and Jess are here."

Aria, Byron, and Mike welcomed their relatives inside. Florence came in first, holding the hand of her 6-year-old daughter, Jess. Everyone always told Aria that she looked very similar to Florence, both with dark hair and beautiful eyes. Jess looked like her father, except her long wavy hair was brown like her mother's instead of blonde.

Aria brought them into the living room. To be polite, Ezra stood and walked towards the family.

"Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Ezra," Aria introduced, shifting nervously on her feet. "And, um, this is—this is Malcolm," she motioned towards the boy. "He's seven. Jess, I bet you two have a lot in common," she spit out quickly in attempt to distract her family from asking questions.

The eager, outgoing little girl smiled at Malcolm. "Hi Malcolm," she beamed. "I have a pet pheasant named Meena. But she's nice, not mean!"

Florence looked at Aria, grinning and raising an eyebrow as if to imply that a discussion was needed. "It's nice to meet you, Ezra and Malcolm." While the rest of her family and Ezra talked amongst themselves, Florence grabbed Aria's hand and pulled her into the kitchen.

"That's some boyfriend you have," her aunt squealed, leaning against the counter and squeezing Aria's hand. "I can't believe my little niece has a boyfriend that she brings to Christmas. That's pretty serious," she teased, singing out the last word.

"I'm so glad you feel that way, Florence," Aria admitted, letting out a sigh of relief. "My parents were definitely not that thrilled about Ezra."

"Well, I might've had a different opinion if I were your parents," she confessed. She moved her hand to her hip, her voice becoming more stern. "I'm going to guess Malcolm is his son, which means that Ezra—"

"Is 25," she interjected, "and is very good to me."

"As long as that remains true, then I guess the only problem I have is that he's not mine." Florence smiled apprehensively. "And don't get pregnant." She pointed her finger in Aria's face, and then chuckled.

An hour later, the remaining guests arrived and settled in the living room, making small talk, playing games, eating the snacks that covered the coffee table. Malcolm, Jess, and Aria's 10-year-old cousin Julian sat on the floor, while Aria caught up with her 18-year-old cousin Haylie. Mike tried to explain lacrosse to Ezra, who patiently listened as he picked at a bowl of chips. Although Ella was missing, Aria tried to enjoy the yearly Montgomery Christmas party. She looked over at Ezra, overjoyed that Ezra and Malcolm fit in perfectly.

Byron and his mother, Sharon, began to prepare the dining room table for dinner, which was to be served there but eaten in the living room.

"This was much easier in past years," Byron pointed out as he placed a stack of plates on the table. "Thanks for helping, mom."

"Of course, dear," Sharon replied. She cleared her throat. "So, the little boy playing with Julian and Jess, who is he, exactly?"

Byron placed the napkins next to the plates and turned around, leaning against the table and crossing his arms. "Well, that's Aria's boyfriend's son, Malcolm."

Sharon nearly dropped the plate she was holding, steadying herself against a chair. "Excuse me?" She scoffed, putting her hands on her hips. "You are telling me my 17-year-old granddaughter is dating a man with, with, a _son_? How old is he?"

"I think he's 7," Byron answered. He scratched the top of his head, not looking at his mother.

"No, I meant how old is—what's his name? Whatever her predator of a boyfriend's name is," she hissed. "But you basically answered my question by telling me the age of his son. He's _too old_, Byron! How could you do this—

"Mom, please, just stop—"

"No, Byron, I will not." She narrowed her lips and squinted her eyes, getting closer to her son. "You are allowing your daughter to be taken advantage of by an obviously bad man. Why else would a grown man want to be with a teenage _girl_? He could ruin her life, for god's sake!"

"He's not a bad man, mom, and Aria is smart enough to make her own decisions." He looked in his mother's eyes, confident in his words.

"Because she's brainwashed, Byron," she cautioned, her eyes filled with anger—and worry. "And apparently? So are you."

* * *

Aria was now sitting on Ezra's lap in one of the living room chairs. He mindlessly played with the tights on Aria's leg, pinching the nylon between his fingers. She had one arm around his neck, lightly tickling her fingers on the crook of his neck. She looked down at his face and smiled, leaning her forehead against his, enjoying a blissful moment. He softly pressed his lips against her nose, when they were interrupted by Jess poking Aria's side.

"Aria, do you know where Malcolm is?" She whined, holding one of Aria's old dolls. "He went in the kitchen ten minutes ago and never came back."

"Sorry, Jess, I haven't seen him." She climbed off Ezra's lap, giving him a hand and pulling him up as well. "Do you know where he went, Ezra?"

"I thought he was playing with the kids," he assumed. Panic set in. "Crap, I can't believe I lost Malcolm."

Aria placed her hand on Ezra's arm. "Don't worry, he's probably in the kitchen or something."

"Aria!" She heard her name being called from the hallway. She walked over and saw Mike at the top of the stairs. "There's a little boy sitting on my bed who wants to talk to you."

Aria looked back at Ezra and held up her finger. "One minute?" she mouthed.

"It's official, my kid likes you more than me," Ezra announced, going back into the living room. "Call me if you need me?"

Aria opened the door to Mike's room and found Malcolm sobbing into one of Mike's pillows. She quietly approached the bed and sat next to him, putting her arm around the little boy. Mike nodded his head and mouthed "good luck" and left the room.

"What's the matter, Malcolm?" Aria rubbed her hand up and down the boy's back. "Why did you come up here?"

"I was, I was scared," he stuttered in between sobs, sitting up next to Aria. "Is my Dad bad?" He asked, crying harder now. "Is that why my mom wouldn't let me see him for so long?"

Aria lowered her eyebrows. "No, your dad is not a bad man," she soothed, holding him closer to her. "Not in the slightest. He's one of the best men in the world."

"Then why did your grammy say that he was hurting you?" He stopped crying for a moment and looked up at Aria for an answer.

Aria's stomach dropped with the new knowledge; her grandmother did not approve of her relationship with Ezra. She took a deep breath and held her emotions together for Malcolm. "Not everything you hear is true," she told him. "My grammy doesn't know your dad yet. Do you think he hurts me?"

"No, you always smile when you're with him," he remembered, a slight smile appearing on his face. "And he always holds you when you're scared, or when you're sleeping...and he pretends that you don't snore."

Aria giggled. "That's right. Your dad makes me very, very, _very_ happy and he would never try to hurt me _or_ you, because he loves us both so much." Her eyes welled up with tears. She pressed a light kiss on the boy's head.

"I love him, too, so much." Malcolm looked down at his Christmas tie, rubbing the material between his fingers.

"So do I, so much." A tear fell onto Aria's cheek.

The two sat in silence; Aria continued rubbing the boy's back as the last tears fell from his eyes. Malcolm looked up at Aria, his father's eyes burning through her. He hesitated before he spoke.

"And I love you, Aria."

Aria couldn't help but smile. "I love you too, Malcolm."

* * *

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!**

**Thanks to Florence, Jess, and Meena for helping me with this chapter and for supplying names. ;) And Haylie for being my best friend and always leaving reviews.**

**EllyTheWatermelon—You're awesome.**

**You're **_**all **_**awesome and I just love you.**

**I'm sorry if it seems Aria is going back and forth about her feelings with the situation. I just feel like that's how she would feel. One minute she is okay with it, the next she's trying to decide if she's ready. It's not an easy concept for her to grasp. Yes, she is absolutely in love with Ezra—but she has dreams and goals she wants to chase. And when she says "I'm not handling it that well," she is referring to this very fact that she keeps flip flopping. (Just thought I'd clear this up. It's not an inconsistency in my writing; it's deliberate.)**

**What are some ideas for adorable/meaningful gifts for Ezra to give Aria for Christmas? Not a proposal or promise ring. If I like your suggestion, I may just put it in the next chapter. Or is there anything you'd like to see happen in this story? I think I'm shooting for about 15-20 chapters.**

**Another note: Byron is not evil or connected to Alison in any way. And I'm going to ignore the A story line, but that doesn't mean it never happened or isn't happening.**

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! ! ! ! !**


	9. Chapter 9

Aria and Malcolm descended the stairs hand-in-hand to return to the Christmas party downstairs. Ezra was waiting at the bottom with his hands in his pants pockets, shifting his weight from side to side. He looked up and saw his son and girlfriend approaching. Malcolm appeared somewhat nervous, a hint of hesitation and fear in his eyes. His face was still red from crying.

"Hey buddy." He reached for Malcolm and picked him up, positioning him on his hip. "What's the matter?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Nothing anymore. Aria made it better."

Ezra looked up at his girlfriend, who was still standing on the staircase. "She's good at that." He ruffled Malcolm's hair and hugged him.

Aria looked Ezra in the eye and nodded. "You're not so bad yourself, actually," she swallowed, lowering her voice, "and you may need to help me right now."

Realizing the sadness in Aria's voice, Ezra placed Malcolm on his feet and told him to find Jess. He reached out for Aria's hand and guided her down the remaining few stairs and opened his arms for her. She leaned into his embrace and rested her head on his chest.

"Malcolm was scared because he heard my grandmother in the kitchen," she breathed into his chest, "telling my Dad that you're a bad man who is taking advantage of me."

Ezra sighed. "Just one more person we need to prove ourselves to, right?" He looked down at Aria and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. She silently nodded her head, still resting her head against his chest. "At least I know your Aunt Florence likes me."

Aria tilted her head up and creased her eyebrows. "How do you know that?"

Ezra chuckled and kissed Aria's forehead. "Because when you were upstairs, I'm pretty sure she was seconds away from replacing you on my lap."

Aria giggled and pulled away from Ezra. "We should probably get _our_ chair back, then." She winked and took Ezra's hand, pulling him back into the living room.

Ezra sat down on the chair and pulled Aria back by her waist, resting her on his thigh. Malcolm ran over to the two of them. "Do you want to join us?" Malcolm nodded his head and jumped onto his father's lap. "You're a little too big to jump on me like that," Ezra groaned. Aria giggled and rested her head on top of Ezra's.

Aria could feel Sharon's gaze on her from across the room. Although the room was full of chatter and children playing, Sharon only watched Aria and Malcolm cuddled on Ezra's lap. Aria turned towards her grandmother.

"Grammy, have I introduced you to Ezra yet?" Aria decided to give her grandmother the benefit of the doubt, allowing her to have another chance and decide for herself if Ezra was a threat. Ezra glared at Aria.

Sharon stood from her seat and approached the couple, limply putting her hand out. "I'm Sharon, Byron's mother, Aria's grandmother."

Ezra adjusted Malcolm on his lap so he could reach Sharon's hand. "Good to see you, Sharon."

"Do you two go to school together?" Sharon smiled at the couple.

Aria frowned. Was her grandmother seriously going to play dumb too? "No, actually, we met at a pub."

"Oh, that's nice." Sharon nodded and looked at Ezra. "What high school do you go to?"

Ezra's cheeks turned red, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. "I'm not in high school anymore, actually," he confessed without making eye contact with Sharon.

"Are you in college?"

"Grammy, Ezra loves to read and write, just like we—"

"Don't change the subject, Aria," Sharon warned, giving her an ice cold glare. "I know this child is yours, Ezra, and I also know that you're taking advantage of my granddaughter."

Malcolm clung onto his father, digging his face into Ezra's chest. "Sharon—"

"Mrs. Montgomery, actually," she demanded. She crossed her arms and lowered her eyebrows, towering over Ezra and Malcolm.

"Mrs. Montgomery, can we please discuss this later when my son is not listening?" Ezra rubbed his hand on Malcolm's back.

"Fine, but if I have any say in this," she pointed to Aria sitting on Ezra's lap, "by the time I leave tonight, you two will not continue on with this relationship."

"Grammy, I love you, but you actually don't have any say in this," Aria defended, putting her arm around Ezra. "I love Ezra, and I love Malcolm."

Ezra turned to look at Aria and grinned at his girlfriend's confidence in their relationship, how she admitted her love for his child in such a manner. He placed his hand on her thigh.

"I'll talk to you later, Aria," Sharon insisted. "Do not think this conversation is over."

At 8:00, the majority of Aria's family had gone home, leaving her alone with Ezra, Malcolm, Mike, Byron—and her grandparents. Malcolm yawned from where he sat on Ezra's lap.

"We should probably get going before he falls asleep here," Ezra suggested, standing up and stretching his arms. "Are you ready, Aria?"

"Why don't you go wait in the car and I'll be there in a few minutes?" Aria didn't want Malcolm to have another breakdown listening to her argue about her relationship with Ezra.

Ezra nodded in understanding and grabbed Malcolm's hand, walking out the door of the Montgomery house. As soon as she heard the door close, Sharon cleared her throat.

"You probably don't see it now, Aria, but that man is brainwashing you," Sharon said from across the room. "Are you already living with him?"

"Grammy, I understand your concern, but Ezra and I have been together for a year and a half and nothing you could say would convince me to end our relationship." Aria had been preparing for this conversation throughout the rest of the party. Of course, she constantly had her own doubts about their relationship—at first because of the age difference, later because of Malcolm—but if she were ever to end it, it would be on her own terms, not anyone else's. "He has been nothing but amazing to me, and I wish you would try to see that. And no, we don't live together, but I do stay over sometimes."

"Look at it from my perspective, honey," she began, straightening her cardigan. "You're 17. He's, what? Twenty-five, twenty-six? Only a criminal would want to have a serious relationship with such a young girl."

"I think that's exactly the problem," Aria sighed, leaning back in her chair.

Sharon grinned in satisfaction.

"You still see me as a little girl, and I'm not—I'm not a little girl, I'm nearly 18 and I'm old enough to understand what is real and what is not." Aria stood up and walked towards her grandmother. "Try to give him a chance before you judge him, because this is real. I swear to you that this is real."

At this moment, Byron walked into the room, watching the scenario unfold. It was not much different from a year ago when Aria had tried to convince him and Ella of the true love and commitment in their relationship. He had the same thoughts as his mother, and no one could change his mind, until he saw the lengths both of them went through to keep their relationship alive. He witnessed Ezra console his daughter when she was upset, kiss her gently when she needed it. Even the way he innocently played with the fabric on her tights as they sat together on the chair was enough for him. They were in love—anyone who couldn't see that was blinded by the basic facts of their ages and situation.

"Mom, can you leave them alone?" Aria and Sharon whipped their heads around at the sound of Byron's voice.

"Excuse me, Byron, I raised you better than to hurt your own daughter," she hissed, her voice as stern as it was when he was a child picking on his little sister.

"And I raised Aria to be an independent, strong woman, and I'm proud of who she is today."

Aria smiled at her father. "Thank you, Dad."

Byron tried, he _always _tried, to accept Ezra, but he didn't really believe in their relationship until he saw someone else try to destroy it. Now he wanted to protect his little girl.

"I've known about their relationship for a while now, and I'd never think of pulling them apart again," he told his mother, "because he makes her happier than I've seen her in a long time."

"Fine, I'll try to accept it," she sighed in defeat, "but if they run off and elope, or he cheats on her, or for god's sake gets her pregnant, don't be surprised if I tell you _I told you so._"

Aria approached her grandmother and hugged her. "Thank you, Grammy." She turned to Byron and hugged him even tighter. "Thank you, so much Dad—I've been waiting a very, very long time to hear those words."

* * *

_Ezra was still in Delaware, doing who knows what—it didn't matter, all Aria could imagine was what was going to happen once he returned. Did he hate her? Did he care enough to hate her? Was their entire relationship over in a matter of days? She stared at Hanna as she talked, but didn't take a word in that she said._

"_But Caleb promised he wouldn't do that to me, so I'm fine," Hanna smiled, happy and in love with her boyfriend. "Do you think he means it?"_

_Aria snapped out of her thoughts and focused on Hanna's eyes. "Hmm?"_

_Hanna sighed. "Ezra will be back, Aria, and I'm sure everything will be fine."_

"_You don't know that, Hanna," Aria stressed, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Big changes help you forget what something used to be, and love can easily turn into nothing. Not hate, just nothing, like it never really mattered in the first place."_

"_Oh please, Aria." Hanna rolled her eyes. "It's hard for you to see because you're in the relationship, but it would take a bulldozer to take Ezra's eyes off of you."_

"_Maybe this change, maybe his son, maybe all of this," she pointed to the table, "is the bulldozer that will take his eyes off of me, and onto his—his—baby mama," she spit out, cringing at the use of the term "baby mama." "What if he wants to be a family with them?"_

_Hanna laughed and shook her head, getting a raised eyebrow from Aria. "I'm sorry, Aria, but you're being ridiculous. I take the 'bulldozer' comment back."_

"_See?" Aria panicked. "I told you!"_

"_No, Aria," she shook her head, "it would probably take an asteroid crashing between you to take his eyes off of you."_

* * *

On Christmas Eve, Aria rested her legs over Ezra's lap on his couch at his apartment. She frowned at the ceiling. Ezra massaged her feet while he watched a Christmas special on TV.

Christmas would be different this year, a fact that Aria was trying to adjust to. In many ways, it would be for the better—Ezra would be joining her because he didn't want to spend it with either of his parents, and he figured they were at that point in their relationship, anyway. But it was also the first Christmas her parents had been apart, meaning having to split her time. On Christmas Eve, she was to spend the night at her father's; on Christmas Day, she was going to her mother's apartment. Growing up meant having to deal with these changes that life brought with it. No more Santa. No more magic. Christmas only reminded her of a split family.

Ezra looked at Aria and noticed the sadness in her expression. "What's the matter?"

"It's lost the magic."

"What did?" He asked, leaning over and taking her hand in his.

"Christmas," she simply replied. "Every year, I'd count down the days and it would be the highlight of my year. This year I just want to make it through without getting upset."

Ezra grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "That party at your house went pretty well."

Aria laughed. "You call my grandmother wanting to kill you as 'pretty well' or are you referring to when I had to comfort _your _child when I found him crying upstairs?"

"I'm referring to the fact that Malcolm loves you even more than he did before, and by the end of the night, your grandmother was willing to accept us."

"I suppose you're right," she admitted. She moved her legs from his lap and stood up. "Should we exchange gifts before we head to my house?"

Ezra nodded. He kneeled in front of his bed and bent his head down, pulling out several packages. He brought them over to the couch. "These are for you."

Aria's eyes shot open. "Geez, Ezra, I think you love me more than I love you," she joked, pulling him close and pressing her lips against his. She pulled away and opened her bag, pulling out a couple gifts. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were—"

"Aria," he interrupted, "I didn't expect you to buy me _anything. _Your acceptance of Malcolm is the greatest gift I could have received."

"You first," she insisted, handing him the record that had been sitting in her closet for the last few weeks.

Ezra ripped the paper open, his face lighting up as he saw what was in his hands. "How did you—I couldn't find it—where the hell did you get this?"

Aria laughed. "It's this place called the Internet, Ezra, you may have heart of it?"

Ezra pulled Aria's legs on top of his and kissed her again. Aria blushed, handing him the other gift. "I could get used to being kissed every time one of us opens a gift..." she trailed off. "This one isn't as exciting, but it reminded me of you."

He unwrapped the gift, revealing a set of cheesy snowman boxers. His cheeks reddened as he realized what they were. He chuckled. "And how do these remind you of me, Aria?"

"They didn't," she patted him on the shoulder, "I just wanted to see you in them, and that's all I could think of."

Ezra shook his head and smiled. "I guess it's your turn, unless you also decided to get me a box of condoms because they reminded you of me?"

Aria playfully slapped Ezra. "You're acting like that's all I care about, and you know that's not true at all." She pouted and crossed her arms. "My turn?"

Ezra smiled as he handed her several wrapped boxes. The first few gifts were not all that exciting: a dress that he thought she'd love, a pair of shoes he knew she wanted, and a new leather journal, personalized with her name on it. Anxious to see her reaction, he placed the most treasured gift on her lap. It was obviously a book by it's shape, but Aria had no idea what it would be. She ripped the paper open. "To Get Away: A Series of Short Stories."

She held up the book. "What's this?"

"I submitted a short story to a publisher about a year ago, and they accepted it," he beamed, the smile on his face full of excitement. "It's published. My short story is published in this book," he took it from her hands, holding it in the air, "and the best part—it's about us."

Aria took the book back from Ezra and placed it on her lap, opening to the page that had been bookmarked. Her eyes lit up as she saw the title and the first few lines. "Eight Years: By Ezra Fitz." She ran her finger across the page, as if it were priceless artifact. "I can't believe you did this..." She scanned the page, reading the first paragraph.

_...but he didn't care, because eight years was as significant as a piece of dust compared to an eternity with her._

"I got you a pair of boxers and you wrote a love story about us." She looked up at Ezra. "I should have splurged for the pajama pants, too."

Ezra chuckled and grabbed Aria's legs, pulling her all the way on top of his legs. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, his hand on the back of her head, her hands around his neck. Thirty seconds passed before they pulled away, both of them slightly out of breath. "Merry Christmas, Aria." He lightly pressed his lips against hers again, both of them smiling into the kiss.

* * *

To both Aria and Ezra's surprise, Byron allowed Ezra to stay the night at the Montgomery house. She wondered if it were because he truly felt comfortable with her older boyfriend sharing her small bed, or if it were some way to make up for the fact that her mother was not there this year. Either way, she was happy to have her boyfriend with her on Christmas. Aria, Ezra, Byron, and Mike spent the night exchanging gifts, eating dinner, and playing board games. After a few rounds of Scattergories, Aria and Mike had started to get restless.

"There's a decent amount of snow on the ground," Mike pointed out, looking out the window. "We should go have a snowball fight."

"I don't know, Mike, I really don't feel like freezing," Aria said, already shivering with the thought of being covered in snow.

"Oh come on, Aria, you have Ezra to snuggle with to keep you warm when we're done," he teased, pointing to Ezra. "We used to do this all of the time when we were little." Mike stood up, pulling Aria up by her elbow.

"It'll be fun," Ezra agreed, looking at his girlfriend. "And magical."

Aria rolled her eyes. She couldn't say no to her boyfriend or little brother, both of which turned into eight-year-olds at the mention of a snowball fight. "Fine," she sighed. She stood on her toes and whispered into Ezra's ear. "But you _will_ owe me."

Ezra cleared his throat. "Let's go outside."

Aria hid behind a tree outside in the yard while Mike and Ezra tried to find her. Somehow, it had been unofficially decided that it would be two against one, both of the boys attempting to throw as many snowballs at Aria as possible. She shivered, rubbing her hands on her arms to keep warm. She peered behind the tree and saw Mike slowly approaching her. Before she could bend down and create another snowball, she felt ice-cold snow hitting her face. She looked up and saw Ezra standing a few feet away. Noticing the snow in her hands, he started to back up. He turned around and took a few running steps.

"I don't think so," she giggled, running after him. She launched the snowball, hitting him square on the back of his neck.

Ezra cringed at the feeling of snow dripping down his neck, into his coat and down his back. He turned around and ran towards Aria. "Oh, you want to play that way?"

Aria screamed and started running in the other direction, when she tripped on a shovel and fell. Her whole body was now lying in the snow. With only jeans on, the snow quickly went through to her skin. She looked down at her legs and frowned. "My entire body is numb right now."

Ezra bent down next to her, tackling her into the snow so he was on top of her. He kissed her on the lips, then moved his head to whisper in her ear. "Should we go inside and warm up now?"

Mike appeared around the corner and noticed the two lying on the ground. "I'm pretty sure snow angels are supposed to be a one-person thing."

Aria smiled, whispering into Ezra's lips. "Unless we're making explicit snow angels?"

Ezra quietly laughed, still lying on top of his petite girlfriend. Aria waited for Ezra to move his body as the snow melted and drenched her jeans. He stood up and offered his hand, pulling her up from the ground.

The two of them headed directly upstairs and into her room. "I think I've only been in here, like, once or twice," Ezra admitted, eyeing the bed. "The first time was when I got the job at Hollis, remember?"

Aria nodded in the process of taking off her wet clothes. She slid her wet jeans down her legs and stepped out of them. "Yeah, that didn't go so well." Once she was in her underwear, she shivered and rubbed her hands on her arms. "The worst part about getting dressed in the winter is when you don't have any clothes on for five seconds."

Ezra smirked, trying not to focus on Aria's half-naked body. He cleared his throat and looked at the stack of books next to her bed instead.

"I basically just set myself up for that one—you're probably thinking right now, 'That's my favorite part.'" She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to take a hot shower."

Ezra sat on her bed. "I'll take one after you, if that's okay?"

Aria returned a smirk, matching Ezra's from earlier. "Well, we could save time, you know..." Ezra shot his head up. "I was only kidding." She walked over to Ezra and took his hands in hers. "Unless you really want to, then I think we can do it without my dad or brother noticing."

"I don't think that's such a good idea, knowing our history with showers, Aria." He looked at her sternly.

"Alright, well, I'll be back in ten minutes," she announced, taking her robe from the chair at the end of her bed and wrapping it around her. "But I'll leave the door unlocked."

Ezra sighed and watched Aria walk out the door. After staring at the walls for a few minutes, the room started to become unnaturally cold, his already-numb skin developing goosebumps. He gave in and walked across the hall, looking both ways before quietly opening the door and sneaking into the bathroom.

"I knew you'd change your mind." Aria's voice muffled from inside the shower. "Can you hand me the shampoo on the counter?"

"Yep," Ezra answered while taking off his clothes. He picked up the shampoo from the counter, opened the curtain, and stepped in.

Aria turned around to face him, reaching her hands around his neck and pulling his head down to kiss him deeply. When they pulled apart, their eyes connected. There was no going back.

* * *

Ezra waited in the bedroom as Aria walked downstairs to grab a glass of water. Byron was in the living room reading a book. When he saw his daughter walk by, he stopped her.

"Aria," he called her, his tone too serious for her liking. "Could you come in here for a minute?"

Aria dragged her feet into the living room and sat across from him. "Yes, Dad?"

Byron took a deep breath and looked at the floor, putting his hand on his forehead in distress. He looked up at Aria and made eye contact. "You know I'm trying to accept you and Ezra, right?"

Aria bit her lip and nodded, her stomach dropping, knowing exactly what her father meant.

"There's a line, Aria, and I don't think I need to spell it out for you," he scolded, trying not to become too angry.

Aria's cheeks reddened. She nodded again, too humiliated to say much else. Were they that loud? Did he notice they both went into the bathroom? "Sorry, I didn't think—I didn't think you'd notice."

_I wish I didn't_, he thought to himself. "This house is old. The walls are thin," was all he said.

Aria tried to look up at her father, but instead rested her eyes on his feet. "Sorry," she barely whispered.

"I'm going to assume you're being careful, but if you're not, you need to be," he told her, uncomfortably, his own eyes wandering around the room. "Or else a bunch of people are going to be telling you _I told you so."_

"We are, Dad," she defended, her voice weak and uncertain.

"Alright." He stood up from the couch and started to walk upstairs. "Remember what the consequences are—anything can happen, even if you're careless _once_." He stopped and focused on his daughter, speaking directly to her face. "I hope Ezra doesn't forget, since he's obviously been through this before." Aria nodded again. "And I would only hope he wouldn't want it to happen again with someone he apparently loves so much." Byron walked away from his daughter, heading upstairs to his room.

After finishing her awkward and tense conversation with her father, Aria opened her bedroom door to find Ezra already under the covers. Aria pulled her shirt over her head, replacing it with Ezra's sweater he had worn earlier. She slid into bed, pushing her body against Ezra's. He opened his eyes and sleepily kissed her on the forehead near her hairline.

"Goodnight. Love you," he told her, already half asleep.

Aria lightly shook his shoulder to wake him up. "I think Christmas regained some of its magic after that shower," she whispered, a menacing smirk on her face. Ezra smiled and shook his head, falling back asleep moments later.

* * *

**You guys wanted a chapter without Malcolm, here is a beyond fluffy chapter (mostly) without Malcolm. Take this fluff and put it in your pillow. I'm actually not too happy with this chapter, but hopefully you like it anyway. It was going to include a lot more but it was getting too long, so I'll save Christmas day at Ella's and a special trip for next week. Is there too much sex/sex talk? I don't want their relationship to be purely physical, but when I ask for suggestions, everyone just says "SEX." So. Mixed feelings here.**

**Thirty-six reviews last chapter. Holy crap. I could almost cry! Thank you HarrylovesGinny09, SophieLovesPLL, AriaEzraForever1, AmandaMurphy, .paper.1119, tickledpink92, 3murphytoddlers, WWKMDbracelets, Justine, Haylie, foreverdream7, cutiepie1010, bite-me-im-irish, Btanner, Jess, GlliterFireRagesOn, Ale, Dani, obsessedwithezria, literaturefrenzy23, YaleAce, ezriaFTW, Hannah, Katrin, what lies beneath the surface, EzriaFan123, Catie, Disha, Amelia, Calypsana, SheeganForever, Meena, and Aunt Florence Peesant and all of the guests and everyone who tweets me.**

**Thanks for all of the gift ideas. I wanted to use them all. But I used three! I'm saving some for Aria's birthday. Thanks to Haylie who gave me the idea for Ezra's gift from Aria, like, a month ago.**

**(My Author's Notes are so long, I'd totally be cut off at the Oscars or whatever award show I'd be at. Probably the Teen Choice Awards.)**

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! ! ! ! Anything you want to see? I'll try to include it. Follow me on Twitter SleepntheHrding.**

**LOVE YOU GUYS.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Super early AND super long chapter! Guess I've been in a writing mood. ;)**

* * *

Christmas Day was much different from the Montgomery Christmas party that Byron hosted a few days before. Instead of an extravagant party, Ella, Zack, Mike, Aria, and Ezra gathered around Ella's small living area, enjoying each other's company. Ella had spent the last 18 years hosting Christmas at her house, both sides of the family visiting to celebrate the holiday. With the big change in Ella's life, she decided to spend this year with only the people who mattered the most. And her daughter's boyfriend/former teacher.

Ezra had yet to spend this much time with Aria's family, but seemed to fit in rather well. The last few days were a significant adjustment from feeling nonexistent or invisible to the Montgomerys. He sat on the two-person loveseat with Zack, engrossed in a discussion about some new movie that neither Aria nor Ella had heard of. Mike tried to contribute, but was clearly the third wheel being much younger than the older men.

Aria and Ella looked on as their significant others laughed and shouted random facts with passion and excitement. "No, he wasn't the director, he was the producer!" Zack told Ezra, who just shook his head.

Aria cleared her throat. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She looked at her mother, waiting for her to respond.

"Hmm?" Ella was hardly paying attention to her daughter's words as she continued to stare at her boyfriend and her daughter's boyfriend.

"Ezra and Zack are only six years apart," she pointed out. "My mother's boyfriend is only a few years older than my boyfriend."

Ella let out a small laugh. "Well, that's because you obviously like older men."

"Ha!" Aria scoffed at her mother, playfully slapping her on the arm. "Says the cougar dating a man ten years younger than her."

Ella glared at her daughter, dismissing the 'cougar' comment. "Either way, looks like they're developing some kind of bromance."

Aria smiled. "I'm glad, since Zack might be Ezra's step father-in-law one day," she realized, then suddenly her jaw dropped as a thought hit her. "What if we have babies at the _same time_?"

"Aria," Ella scolded her daughter. She narrowed her eyes. "First, I am not having any more children, and second, you are not having them for a long, long time."

Aria leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms. "You never know what might happen," she smirked, then jumped back next to her mother, "But seriously just imagine it for a second Mom, both of us pregnant at the same—"

"Aria, not another word," Ella interrupted, shaking her head. "You're scaring me, and that is _never _going to happen."

Aria ignored her mother's pleas. "_Or _what if I have a baby before you do, and my baby is your baby's niece and older than its aunt or uncle!" Aria's eyebrows raised in awe of her discoveries.

Ella stood from the couch in clear attempt to change the subject. "Should we exchange gifts now?" She suggested to the small group, loud enough to interrupt the men's chatter.

Ezra and Zack abruptly stopped talking at the sound of Ella's voice and looked up. "Sure," their responses echoed.

"Damn." Aria jumped up from the couch, suddenly realizing she had left her bag of gifts outside in the car. "I need to go to the car for a minute."

Ezra instinctively stood up. "Don't worry about it, honey, I can grab the bag if you need me to." Ezra didn't give it a second thought and walked across the room to the door.

Aria beat him to door and put her coat on. "It's okay," she stood on her toes and lightly kissed him, lowering her voice so only Ezra could hear. "Continue your _bromance_ with Zack." She winked and sank back onto her feet before exiting the apartment.

While Aria ran outside to the car, Ella grabbed Ezra's hand and started guiding him down the hallway. Albeit confused—and wondering if she somehow mistook him for Zack—he followed her to the guest bedroom at the end of the hall. Once they were both inside, she quietly closed the door behind her.

Ella stood in front of Ezra with her hands on her hips. She pursed her lips before she spoke. "Look, I'll never be thrilled with the way your relationship with Aria started," she told him, the tone in her voice stern and confident, "but I would be lying if I said I didn't believe in your relationship," she took a breath and hesitated before she continued, "and I would have to be blind and oblivious to say that you don't make her very happy."

Ezra nodded and nervously licked his lips, remembering what Aria told him a few weeks prior about her mother's view on their relationship. "Thank you, I definitely appreciate hearing this from you," he admitted, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, "like I told you months ago—it _does _matter what you think of me."

Ella nodded, but didn't smile. She didn't smile once since she lead him down the hallway—her way of making sure he knew that she was serious, that if he even dared hurt her, or screwed up her life, that she's not up for second chances. Ella reached into her pocket and pulled something out, handing it to Ezra.

He creased his eyebrows and accepted it. When it dropped into his palm, he realized it was a key.

"What—what's this for?" He asked.

"It's a key to our family's cabin, which I highly doubt we'll make use of in the near future given our...situation."

"And why are you giving it to me?"

"Because Aria needs a break from the life you recently sprung on her," she blurted out. "I guess your relationship could use some time without Malcolm, and that cabin has always been an escape for us."

"I, I don't know what to say, Ella—"

For the first time, the creases of her mouth raised ever so slightly. "It also means that I trust you." She turned and put her hand on the doorknob. "Don't screw that up—or I promise that you will never regain my trust again." She smiled. "Merry Christmas, Ezra."

Ella left Ezra alone in the room. He smiled as an idea hit him. It would be risky, Aria might even be a little angry, but he hoped that it would have the opposite effect—a genuine smile. Some magic. A memory. A way to lighten the mood as he celebrated Christmas with his former student/girlfriend's family.

Ezra put the key in his pocket and returned to the living room where Aria was sitting alone on the loveseat. When she saw him, she patted the spot next to her and smiled, silently asking him to join her. Ezra complied and joined her on the couch, putting his arm around her. Aria leaned into his side and happily sighed to be in his arms once again.

The look of pure happiness on Aria's face forced Ella to smile from her spot on the couch. Zack followed Ella's gaze and lightly put his hand on his girlfriend's knee.

"So, Aria and Ezra," he began, looking at the young couple, "how are you enjoying your first Christmas together?"

"A few bumps, but I think it's been perfect," Ezra replied, turning to look at Aria who rested her head on his shoulder. "And I have another gift for you."

Aria lowered her eyebrows and sat up. "You already got me way too much, Ezra."

Ezra didn't respond. Instead, he slid off the couch and got on one knee, taking Aria's hand in his. He cleared his throat. "Aria, the last couple months have been a roller coaster—actually, our entire relationship has been a roller coaster—but every low was worth it, knowing there was another high around the corner." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

Aria didn't smile. The look on her face was nothing short of pure terror. She wasn't ready for this, especially not in front of her family, when they haven't even begun to discuss marriage yet. She was just too young, too unprepared for such an adult concept. The look on Ella, Zack, and Mike's faces mirrored hers. _What was Ezra thinking?_

He opened his hand, revealing the key Ella had given him minutes before. "Will you go to your cabin with me on New Year's Eve?" The serious expression on his face quickly transitioned to a goofy smile. He let out a short chuckle and winked.

Aria punched him in the arm with the full-force of her anger. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend before getting up from the couch and charging down the hallway. Everyone in the room cringed at the loud slam of the guest room door.

Ezra rubbed his shoulder where his girlfriend had punched him. He climbed back onto the couch. "That's so unlike her—I didn't think she'd take it like that, I was just trying to—" He shook his head. "Now that I think about it, maybe it was a stupid joke."

Ella smiled at him sympathetically. "I would tell you to go after her, but I think it would be better if I did it at this point."

Ezra nodded. "Go ahead. Get me when you think it's safe."

Ella opened the door to the guest room to find Aria sitting on the edge of the bed with her arms crossed tightly against her chest, staring at the floor.

"Oh come on, Aria, he was just trying to make you laugh." The bed sunk when Ella sat next to her daughter.

"He embarrassed me, Mom," she whimpered as tears started to fall. "He should have known it would've upset me."

Ella put her fingers on Aria's chin and tilted her head up. "No, because he was right—that_ was _very unlike you," she told her. "You shouldn't have to worry about being embarrassed in front of your immediate family."

"To be honest, as soon as I slammed the door, I wondered why I punched him." She sighed. "Now I'm just embarrassed because of my own stupidity."

Aria _was_ surprised at her own response to Ezra's gesture. Yes, it was a joke—a pretty stupid joke, but it was nonetheless sweet and romantic. She couldn't decide if it was her panic that reacted, or her pride, but she found herself going from intense anger, to confusion, to a crying mess in the bedroom. She always dreamt of marrying Ezra at a young age, way before her friends and classmates walked down the aisle. But when the moment came—or so she thought—she realized she didn't want that at all. Then why wasn't she relieved when she saw the key instead of a ring?

Ella laughed. "Blame me because I gave him the key."

Aria's eyes grew. "You—you trust him, Mom?"

Ella looked down as she nodded her head.

"You trust...us?"

"Yes," her mother confessed. "For now, I trust you—both of you."

Aria put her arms around her mother and tightly hugged her. "Mom, can you ask Ezra to come in here?"

"Of course," Ella smiled and left the room.

Aria got herself together as she waited for Ezra to open the door. She took a deep breath and tried to settle her emotions when the door began to creak and slowly open. Ezra poked his head in to make sure she wasn't enraged, before fully committing to entering the room. Aria stood and grabbed Ezra's face, bringing him in for a deep kiss.

She pulled away and grinned. "Yes."

* * *

The Montgomery's cabin wasn't anything special—definitely not like the Hastings' lake house. While Spencer's lake house was practically a small mansion on the water, the Montgomery's cabin was three rooms: a small bathroom, a bedroom, and a large open living area. As of late, the cabin was nothing more than a couple nearly empty rooms, nestled in the woods an hour and a half outside Rosewood. Aria and Ezra arrived in the early afternoon on New Year's Eve.

Ezra opened the door to the only bedroom where Aria had told him to put their things. He was surprised to find an empty floor with only a dresser standing against a wall.

"Aria," he called to his girlfriend who was in the other room, "where the hell is the bed?"

Aria walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. "My family never slept on beds when we came here, just air mattresses and sleeping bags," she told him. "It's the closest we'd ever get to camping."

Ezra put his hand on the back of his neck. "We didn't bring anything to sleep on."

"That's because we keep everything here." Aria walked past him and opened a closet door, pulling out a few old quilts and a sleeping bag. "Oh no!" she gasped, putting the back of her hand against her forehead, pretending to be in shock. "There is only one sleeping bag. Where shall we sleep, Mr. Fitz?" She turned her head to face Ezra and smirked. "It would be _so_ inappropriate for us to _share_ a sleeping bag."

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "This is going to be an interesting couple of nights."

"Interesting?" she questioned, walking closer to him with the blankets draped over her arms. "It's perfect."

Ezra rolled a lump of snow on the ground until he had created a perfect sized snowball, perfect for the bottom of his snowman—or snow _woman_, as he was building an Aria snowman while Aria built her very own Ezra.

After settling in the cabin, the two contemplated how to spend their afternoon, and decided to make use of the outdoors. Several cabins lined the street near the Montgomery's place, but because it was December, no one was there, and they didn't expect anyone to come tomorrow either. It was the ideal escape for the two of them.

"This is hard work," Aria pouted, wiping the frozen snow stuck to her gloves onto her pants. "Two more snowballs down, one more to go."

"Thankfully, I only have to make two." Ezra picked up one snowball and carefully placed it on top of the one he completed ten minutes ago.

"Why are you only making two?"

"If we're making replicas of us, they need to be to scale, and I believe you are at least one snowball shorter than me," he told her. "I guess I do need to make two smaller snowballs, though, for your chest..."

Aria giggled. "That won't take you long." She playfully threw a handful of snow at his face.

Ezra blinked a few times and licked his lips, tasting the cold snow around his mouth. "Do you _want _me to tackle you into the ground again?"

"Hmm," Aria pretended to consider the suggestion. "No, let's save that for later tonight, because I'm going to kick your ass in this contest."

Thirty minutes later, the Aria and Ezra snow people stood side-by-side, the Aria snow woman much shorter than the Ezra snowman—with two noticeably large lumps of snow on its chest. Aria giggled as she noticed how much Ezra had exaggerated the size of her boobs.

"Obviously you're living in a fantasyland," she pointed to the snow woman. "She may have a bigger chest, but at least my boobs won't melt once it gets a little too warm." She then stood next to the Ezra snowman. "Ezra, take a picture of me and my boyfriend." She leaned forward and puckered her lips centimeters away from the side of its head.

Ezra chuckled. "Okay, as long as I get to take a picture with _my girlfriend._" He put his arm around the large-chested snow woman.

Once they had taken enough silly pictures with the snow people, Aria and Ezra determined it would be fun to try sledding on a nearby slope. When Aria and Mike were younger, they would spend hours sliding up and down the hill on top of cheap plastic sleds. They kept the sleds at the cabin over the years in case they wanted to use them again.

"Are you sure this is safe, Aria?" Ezra peered down the rather steep hill; it was mostly barren, except a few trees that spotted the land at the bottom of the slope. Then it was all woods.

"Of course it is, Mike and I did this all the time." She placed the dark blue plastic sled onto the top of the hill. "Get in."

Ezra hesitantly sat down at the back of the sled and put his legs on both sides, leaving room for Aria. Aria stepped in and pressed her back against Ezra's chest.

"Ready?" Ezra asked her, receiving a nod from Aria. He pressed the snow with his hand, consequently pushing them a few inches down the slope. He wrapped his arms around Aria and leaned forward.

The sled started moving and quickly picked up speed, cutting through the snow and sliding down the hill. Aria squealed in delight while Ezra held onto her tight. He cringed as the snow hit his face and eyes. As soon as they hit the bottom, Aria jumped up from the sled and grabbed Ezra's hand, pulling him up too.

"Let's do it again!" Her face lit up like a child, her cheeks red, her hair coated in snow.

Ezra didn't want to do it again, but he couldn't deny the pure innocent—and adorable—joy in Aria's eyes. That is one of the many reasons why he loved her. She was mature beyond her years the majority of the time, but he loved when she resorted to her inner-child; he saw a light behind her eyes he rarely got to see.

After several rides down the hill, the two of them were about to call it a day, until Aria insisted on going down one more time. _Just one more time. _But it seemed as if she said this the last three times.

This time, the snow had started to become smooth from their previous trips down the hill, providing less traction to slow them down. When they reached the bottom, the sled continued to glide across the snow rapidly

"Ezra, I don't think it's going to stop!" Aria shouted in panic. "It's not stopping!"

Ezra tried to slow them down by placing his legs and arms into the snow, but it made little difference. Ezra shielded Aria's face as they crashed into the edge of the woods and through some brush, causing them to finally stop.

Ezra released the breath he had been holding and unwrapped his arms from around Aria. "Aria, are you okay?"

"For the most part," she grimaced, squinting her eyes shut, "except a stick or something ripped open the skin on my thigh."

Ezra was afraid to look. He felt guilty for allowing Aria to get hurt; he should have made sure that didn't happen. Aria tried to stand but cringed in pain; her hand was pressed up against her wound.

"Stay there," Ezra demanded. "Let me look at your leg."

Small droplets of blood spotted the white snow around them. Aria removed her hand and allowed him to see the wound on her thigh. A stick had carved a five-inch long gash through her jeans and into her skin, but it didn't appear too deep, and it definitely wasn't very wide. He wouldn't be sure until they went back to the cabin and he could get a closer look at it. Aria began to whimper as the pain set in.

"It doesn't look too bad, but stay on the sled," he insisted. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and gently moved a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll pull you up the hill and then carry you once we reach the top, okay?"

Aria nodded, biting her bottom lip to distract herself from the pain.

When they reached the top of the hill, Ezra carried Aria the rest of the way to the cabin with her cradled in his arms. She snuggled her head into the crook of his neck and cringed every so often as a new wave of pain hit her.

"I should make you do this all the time," she joked. She playfully poked him in the cheek with her index finger and smiled. "I like this angle."

Ezra rolled his eyes and carried her into the cabin, placing her on the edge of the small kitchen counter. "You said you had a first aid kit around here, somewhere?"

"Yeah, it's under the sink."

Ezra rummaged through the contents of the cabinet under the sink and placed the first aid kid next to Aria on the counter. He took off her boots and unzipped her jeans, slipping them off her legs as she grimaced in pain. He opened a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. "This is going to hurt like a bitch, just to warn you."

Aria prepared herself as he poured the liquid onto her leg. She screamed through her teeth and held onto the edge of the counter, the liquid bubbling up from her skin.

"Now that's it's clean, let me just wrap it up, and it should be fine." Ezra grabbed a paper towel and wiped the excess blood off her leg. He squeezed some antibiotic cream onto the wound and put a couple large bandages over it.

"Feel better?" He asked.

Aria nodded. "Thanks for taking care of me."

"Of course." He kissed her forehead, trailing quick kisses from the bridge of her nose to the tip of her nose, and finally to her lips. "I love you."

* * *

"I think I would have rather spent the extra money and gotten a hotel room," Ezra muttered as he attempted to get warm in front of the fireplace. He rubbed his hands together in front of him.

"Stop being such a downer," Aria demanded, shooting her boyfriend a look. She grabbed one of his hands. "Look at me."

Ezra turned his head and looked at Aria. The two of them were wrapped in a thick quilt as they sat on the cold hardwood floor of the cabin, both of them dressed in Ezra's pajamas. Aria was leaned against Ezra's side with her head lying on his shoulder. She looked at him.

"We're here," she kissed him gently, "together," she kissed him again," and most importantly," she kissed him once more, "we're _alone_."

"Indeed." He returned her kisses and slipped his tongue into her mouth while pushing her down to the floor, kissing her deeply. After a few minutes, he moved to the side of her body and adjusted the blanket so it was tightly wrapped around the two of them. He put one arm around her waist and pulled her against his body.

Aria rested her head on Ezra's chest and gazed up at his face. The fire served as the only source of light in the room, illuminating their bodies in a soft orange glow. Ezra's dark blue irises danced as the fire reflected in his eyes.

"What should we do for the last two hours of 2011?" Aria smirked, moving her hand to back of his neck and placing it inside of his shirt.

"This is good," he told her. He took the hand that was holding her and started running it up and down her arm. "This is perfect."

"You're right," she agreed, feeling safe and loved in his arms.

"Looking forward to 2012?"

"It's going to be an interesting ride with a lot of changes and unknowns, but yeah, I'm looking forward to it," she answered, then frowned when she remembered something. "Except it's going to suck when you can't do things like go to prom with me, or attend the award ceremonies and graduation and everything that comes along with graduating from high school."

"Don't think like that." He lightly brushed his fingers against her jawline. "I'll try to go to whatever I can without creating a scene." He slowly sat up, pulling Aria with him. "Would you like to have our prom right now?"

Aria raised an eyebrow. They were in an empty, nearly-dark room, in the middle of nowhere, the only music being the quiet crackling of the fire. He stood up and offered her his hand. She accepted and he pulled her to her feet.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her, in an exaggerated forced British accent.

Aria giggled and accepted his hand. He linked his fingers with hers with one hand and held her with the other. They swayed back and forth slowly on their feet, enjoying their time alone. Alone from judging eyes of classmates and family, alone from a child's sour face. She rested her head against his chest, with her hand that was not in Ezra's lovingly rubbing his shoulder.

"You wouldn't have wanted me to go to prom with you if we were in high school at the same time," he whispered into her hair. "Dedicated book club member, English nerd, late bloomer, I was on the track team...I could go on, but then you might break up with me."

She pulled away so she could look him in the eyes, but they continued to sway to the non-existent music. "I didn't know you were on the track team."

"Yeah, and in college I trained for marathons," he told her, in a quiet, husky voice.

Aria smiled, envisioning him running as a skinny high-school boy, and crossing the finish line when he was in college, his friends and family cheering him on. "Why did you stop training for marathons?"

"Well, didn't entirely give them up, sometimes I still consider running in them, but—" He hesitated.

"Yes?"

"I guess I started chasing after other things," he admitted. He looked her in the eyes. "Or not things, but people."

She frowned and looked down at their moving feet. "I'm the reason you gave up running marathons."

"In a way, yes," he confessed. "But only because I stopped needing to focus on marathons to give myself a passion and purpose in life."

She smiled again. They continued to dance for a few quiet moments. "Do you want to go to the after party?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow and stopped moving his feet.

"You didn't watch enough cheesy 90s movies or TV shows where the teenagers rent out hotel rooms after prom, and..."

"I get it," he said, looking around him searching for something. "Well, we _could _rent out that sleeping bag." He pointed to the bright-red sleeping bag Aria had pulled out of the closet earlier in the day.

Aria smirked. "We could." She hungrily pressed her lips against his, immediately accepting his tongue. He fell back a few steps at the urgency of her move. She wasted no time and pulled his hoodie over his head. Ezra grabbed the bottom of her long-sleeved t-shirt and carefully pushed it up and over her body.

"Wait, how does your leg feel?"

Aria had already stepped out of her—or his—pajama pants, and they were gathered at the bottom of her feet. Ezra carefully examined the wound on her bare leg.

Aria ignored him and grabbed his face. "I won't feel _anything_ if you'd just stop talking," she scolded him, quieting him with her lips as they continued to make out.

* * *

Aria was lying on top of Ezra in the sleeping bag, their naked bodies sharing and exchanging body heat in the chilly cabin. The neglected fire had begun to burn out; only a few embers lit up the room from the fireplace. She rested her head on her folded arms on top of Ezra's chest, not taking her eyes away from him. She mindlessly played with the hairs on his chest as they enjoyed the dead silence of the cabin.

Ezra reached outside of the sleeping bag and felt around until he found his phone lying on the floor a few feet away. He looked at the time; it was 12:30. "I don't know about you, but I think that was a good way to spend the first minutes of 2012."

"Mhmmm," was all Aria said, exhausted from their "after-prom party." "How do you feel about everything that happened in 2011?"

"Well, that's a big question, considering a lot happened." Ezra took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm happy about where we are, but this certainly is not the life I wished for or wanted."

"And by that, you mean Malcolm?" Aria asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I love Malcolm and I'm so grateful to be a part of my son's life, but—"

Aria stopped playing with his chest hair and listened intently. "But what?"

"I hate how much it has forced you to take on extra baggage and become an adult," he admitted. He put his arms around her, linking his fingers together on the small of her bare back.

Aria shook her head and put her hands through Ezra's hair. "It's worth it." She leaned her head forward, pressing her lips softly against his. She lay her head on Ezra's chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the touch of Ezra's warm skin against hers.

Minutes later, quiet snores filled the room. Ezra kissed the top of her head and shifted so they were lying on their sides. He pulled her sleeping body close to his, realizing how lucky he was.

How lucky _they _were—to only have one sleeping bag.

* * *

**Here is a chapter of fluff, to prepare you for the next chapter that is definitely not fluff. (It's already written.) Even though I posted this chapter so early, I may still post the other one on Friday or Saturday. (But it's significantly shorter unless I get some amazing idea and add to it.)**

**Malcolm will be back soon for those of you who miss him.**

**Thanks to Lauren who gave me the idea for the fake proposal, and to Justine for the Zack/Ezra bromance and the Ella/Ezra suggestions. And to everyone on Twitter who gave me ideas for cabin activities! Also, I was totally inspired to injure Aria after reading Catie's one-shot where Aria sprained her ankle. So thanks for that too.**

**I once had hydrogen peroxide poured into my skin after I fell in a ditch and my knee split open, and I wasn't warned, and I'm pretty sure it's at the top of the list of most painful experiences in my life.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews and kind Twitter comments, as always, and PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I'd rather you review than tweet me, but I like both. :) (The twitter comments disappear eventually.) Love you all!**

**P.S. I LOVE HANNAH.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Read this _entire_ chapter before you give up and dismiss me. Give it a chance. Thanks! Enjoy!**

* * *

Aria tapped her foot as she waited for the door to open, looking from side to side in the hallway of the apartment building. She crossed her arms and took a long and deep breath, moments away from reaching her breaking point. She reached forward to knock again when the door opened. It wasn't her mother. She was expecting her mother. She needed her mother.

"Aria," Zack said, moving to the side so she could step in. "What're you doing here so late?" He looked down at his watch. It was 11 p.m.

Aria gave him a weak smile, but she knew she wasn't fooling him. Before the door had opened, she was prepared to fall into her mother's arms and empty her tears as soon as she saw her face. She hadn't intended on having to say anything right now. She hadn't intended on having to hold back for a few more minutes.

"I need my mom," she pleaded. She tried to take another breath, but when she exhaled, it came out as a sob instead. She stood in the same place in the hallway with tears running down her cheeks. A long silence stood between them, neither of them knowing how to deal with the awkwardness. Tears continued to fall down her cheeks. Zack stood frozen in front of her.

"Oh, Aria," Zack tried to console her, taking a few steps forward. He put one hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Mom," she whimpered between sobs. "I need-"

Zack left the door open and quickly walked away, returning moments later with Ella by his side. She rushed towards Aria, putting her arms around her.

"Sweetie, what happened?" She asked, looking down at her daughter's red face. Ella turned around and gave Zack a look, one that suggested he should leave.

Twenty minutes later, Aria sat on her mother's lap, drenching her mother's cardigan with tears. Ella rubbed her hand up and down Aria's back, letting her daughter let everything out before she started asking questions. "Shhh," she soothed, "Aria, you're going to make yourself sick if you don't relax and breathe."

Aria picked her head up and attempted to breathe; her body shook as she tried to hold back another wave of sobs. She slowly inhaled and exhaled a few times before her body calmed down and only a few tears fell.

"Did something happen with Ezra?" Ella asked.

Aria shook her head, looking down.

"Your friends?" Ella wondered. "Is someone threatening you again?"

Aria shook her head again. "Mom," Aria began. "Please don't get angry, please just help me." She started crying again. "I need you right now."

"I'm not going to get mad." Ella lifted her daughter's head so she was looking at her. "You know you can come to me about anything, honey."

Aria wiped the tears from her cheeks with her sweater, taking a deep breath and looking down again. She bit her lip. "I think I'm pregnant."

Ella's heart dropped into her stomach—no, into her feet—at Aria's use of the word "pregnant." She was terrified of having this conversation with her daughter, but recently, she had overcome the fear and started to trust her. She shouldn't be shocked—but she was. She shouldn't be angry—but she was pissed at _him_. Her eyes were wide open, staring at Aria who was still sitting on her lap.

Aria climbed off of her mother's lap and walked away at the lack of a response, her arms crossed, acting as her own suit of armor. She bit into her lip to prevent the sobs from breaking from her throat again, soon running to the guest room. After a minute, her mother opened the door. She cautiously sat beside her and put one arm around her daughter, pulling her close, as they both cried together.

* * *

The next morning, Aria and Ella parked in front of the drug store in the adjacent town. Ella took the keys out of the ignition and opened the door, putting one foot on the pavement. Aria remained sitting in the passenger seat, staring forward at the front of the building. They hadn't spoken a word the entire ride.

Noticing that Aria wasn't moving, Ella brought her foot back in and closed the door. She cleared her throat. "We need to go in and get this over with, because despite what you're trying to convince yourself right now, the answer is there and it's not going to change," Ella told her, her tone becoming more bitter. "No matter how long you try to delay it, it's not going to go away."

Aria didn't move her head. "You said you weren't going to get mad at me."

"I'm trying, Aria, trust me." She grabbed her daughters' arm, gently forcing her to turn around. "But you're too young to be worried about this, you're too young to have to buy a pregnancy test." She tried to remain neutral, but she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. "If you go to your mother instead of the potential father of your unborn child when you think you're pregnant, you're just _too young._"

Aria sighed, knowing her mother was right. "Can you just get it for me while I wait in here?"

Ella smiled. "If you think you're old enough to have sex, you're old enough to pay for a pregnancy test."

* * *

Aria and Ella walked to the front of the store. Aria had picked up a few bags of candy to hide the small box she was holding, hoping the cashier wouldn't notice what she was purchasing. Never did she imagine how humiliating buying a damn pregnancy test was—at least buying one at 17. Ella rolled her eyes and smiled as Aria nervously dragged her feet to the front of the store, each step closer to putting her purchases on the counter for the world to see.

"Hey, Aria," she heard from behind her.

Of all times, of all days, it had to be today. She quickly hid the box behind her other purchases and turned around to find Wes.

"Hi Wes," she greeted, her voice shaking. "This is my mom, Ella. Mom, this is Ezra's little brother."

Ella smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"Craving some sugar?" He looked at her arms full of small bags of candy. She smiled and looked down, forcing a fake laugh. She heard a small crash when something hit the ground.

Wes looked down and let out a barely noticeable gasp. The pregnancy test lay on the ground, staring both Aria and Wes in the face. Ella quickly bent down and picked it up.

"We better get going," Ella announced, interrupting the tension. She grabbed Aria's arm and headed to a cashier.

"Yeah, me too," Wes replied. He remained standing behind them, watching Aria and Ella as they walked away.

Once they returned to the car, Aria both anticipated and dreaded going back to her mother's apartment and finally knowing for sure if she was going to become a mother. Within the next hour, she could either be extraordinarily relieved, or her life could change forever. When Ella didn't start the car, Aria looked at her mother.

"Are we going home now?" Aria asked, her eyebrows creased.

"Look, I know you want me to be there for you, but I can't," she confessed, looking away from her daughter. "This is something you and Ezra need to do together, and I can't let you keep this from him right now."

"I can't—"

"No, Aria, you have to," Ella interjected, looking her in the eyes. "Because if you're not pregnant, he needs to understand how scary this is," she insisted, "If you _are_, this is still something you should experience together, because one day you will look back at this as parents and see this as an exciting, happy moment, and not terrifying like you do right now." Ella smiled and squeezed Aria's hand. "And I don't want to take that away from him—the holy-shit-what-are-we-going-to-do type of fear _or_ the happiness."

Aria picked at the cranberry-colored polish on her nails, still considering her mother's words.

"And at this point?" Ella put her hand on Aria's leg. "You don't have a choice, because I'm sure it's only days, or even hours, before his brother can't hold it in any longer and calls him up."

The realization hit Aria in the face. She swallowed a few times before opening the door, leaning her head out, and emptying the contents of her stomach on the pavement.

Ella took a deep breath and covered her eyes with one hand, looking away from her puking daughter. "And something tells me that you're not being paranoid."

* * *

Aria closed the door behind her after letting herself in to Ezra's apartment. He stood from the couch to greet her with a kiss, but when he pulled away, he could taste her salty tears on his lips. He turned his head to the side and lowered his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?"

She looked behind him and saw Malcolm sitting on the couch, internally groaning at the fact they weren't alone. This was the last thing she needed right now; she was seconds away from throwing up again.

"Does he have to be here right now?" she whispered. "I need to be with you alone right now."

Ezra scratched his head. "Um, I can't just send him home, Aria—"

Before he could finish, Ezra was interrupted by Malcolm's squeals. "Aria!" He raced over to where Aria stood in front of the door and clung to her waist. "I missed you when you and Dad went on vacation."

Malcolm's simple presence as Ezra's first child reminded her of her current reality. She dropped her bag and jacket and ran to the bathroom, leaning over the toilet before throwing up whatever was left from before. She remained kneeling on the floor with her palms against the cold floor, swallowing to prevent herself from puking again.

Ezra followed her to the bathroom, telling Malcolm to stay where he was. He kneeled next to her and rubbed her back. "Are you sick, Aria?"

"I think so," she choked out. She leaned forward and threw up again.

"I'll call Maggie and tell her to come pick Malcolm up and I'll take care of you, okay?"

Aria nodded, still looking down into the toilet.

"Whenever you're ready, just lay down in my bed and I'll bring you a glass of water and some crackers." He kissed her forehead. "I'll go call Maggie."

Aria was lying in Ezra's bed, staring at the ceiling while trying to pass time before dropping the bombshell on her boyfriend. The bag containing the bags of candy and the pregnancy test was still in her bag in front of the door. She did feel sick—that wasn't a lie. She had been throwing up on and off for days, but it would happen sporadically and she'd feel fine afterwards. Well, she'd feel _fine_, but something didn't feel _right_. Her suspicions were heightened when her period was one day late. Then two. Then three. Then a week. Then she stood in front of her mother's door waiting to pour every tear she had onto her shoulders.

Malcolm left an hour ago and she had changed into a pair of Ezra's boxers and one of his old Hollis sweatshirts. She shifted her body and moved to her side, still not feeling well enough to bring up her suspicions.

"Are the crackers helping?" Ezra walked towards the bed, sitting down on the edge of it. He wanted to give her space, otherwise he would've cuddled right up against her. He brushed his fingers through her hair on the top of her scalp.

She nodded and closed her eyes. "I just want to lay here for a bit," she mumbled. She tugged on the blanket until it was nearly covering her face. "Can you get me a pair of socks? My feet are cold."

Ezra rummaged through his dresser drawer and pulled out a pair of his white socks. He sat at the end of the bed and carefully put them on her feet. "Are you comfortable enough?" He absentmindedly rubbed her feet.

"Mhmm," she replied, moving her body a few inches closer to the wall. "Can you please lay with me?"

Ezra stood up from the end of the bed. "Of course." He pulled the covers up and slid next to her, tucking the blankets around their bodies. He ran his hand up and down her side. "Is this good?"

She nodded, her eyes still closed. "Perfect, thank you."

Aria fell asleep a moment later. Ezra watched her until he knew she was in a deep sleep, and then fell asleep himself.

Aria woke up to find Ezra missing from the bed. She groaned as her stomach stirred again and quickly sat up. Ezra rushed over to the bed holding a bucket. He held it over her lap with one hand, the other holding her hair, as she threw up the crackers he had given her earlier. Once she was done, he gently rubbed her back and put the bucket on the floor.

Maybe she was sick, she thought. Maybe she was being paranoid. Maybe the flu had messed with her period. But then she remembered what her mother told her. _The answer is there and it's not going to change. _She sighed and stared down at the bed. "We need to talk about something."

"Hmm?" Ezra looked at her suspiciously.

"I don't think I'm sick," she told him. She looked at him, waiting for a reaction, waiting to see if he was catching on so she wouldn't have to say the word. But he didn't catch on.

"Food poisoning?" he laughed. "Does my food suck that much?"

But she didn't laugh. She pursed her lips. "No," she answered, biting her bottom lip and looking down. "But my period is late."

Ezra's expression immediately dropped. He jumped up from the bed and backed away, feeling like he was 18 again. He did it again. How could he do this again? How could he have ruined someone else's life like this?

"You're, you're—" he stuttered, "you're pregnant!?" He took both of his hands and ran them through his hair.

"No." She didn't look at him. "I don't know for sure, but I brought a pregnancy test with me."

"I can't believe I made such a stupid mistake again," he thought out loud, although he was mostly scolding himself. A million thoughts flooded his mind. "I can't believe I ruined your life too." He leaned against the back of the couch and crossed his arms. "I..." He shook his head. He paced back and forth, stopping to punch his fists down into the couch. "I need to leave, I need to get out of this room for a few minutes."

The four walls of his apartment felt claustrophobic, too small for the thoughts and tension coming from both himself and Aria. Without looking back at his girlfriend, he grabbed his jacket, ran down the hallway, and into the biting January air. He took several deep breaths, each creating a small cloud in front of him as he exhaled. He walked to his car and sat inside, holding his hands on the steering wheel—even though he didn't plan on going anywhere. He started to cry.

Aria remained stunned, sitting on the bed, her eyes glued on the door her boyfriend slammed moments before. She collapsed backwards onto the bed as more tears found their way down her cheeks, soaking the pillowcase below her. He was mad. She hadn't expected him to be mad. Ten minutes passed before she stood up, grabbed her bag, and went into the bathroom.

* * *

A cold breeze entered the car as Aria sat down beside Ezra in the passenger seat. She looked ahead, looking down the quiet street in Rosewood.

"I can't believe you just _left me_ like that," she snapped. Her face was red. Her eyes were swollen. "How the hell do you think I must've felt, Ezra!?"

"I'm sorry, Aria, I shouldn't have done that." He looked at her. "All I could think about was how stupid I am for doing this to someone else."

"You didn't even ask me how I felt, the one who had to deal with facing reality and realizing that, yeah, she may be pregnant at 17," she told him, finally looking him in the eyes. He had never seen her eyes so angry. "Don't you understand how scared I was?" She turned away and looked out her window, biting the inside of her cheeks to prevent more tears from falling. "I could potentially be a _mother_ in eight or so months, Ezra," she hissed; his name flew out of her mouth like a curse word.

"Aria, I got Maggie pregnant when she was 18," he reminded her, watching Aria cry beside him. "How do you think I feel? Making the same mistake twice and getting two teenage girls pregnant and ruining both of their lives?" He turned away from her. "I ruined your life and your parents are going to kill me."

"You're being unbelievably selfish," she shouted back. "I'm sitting on your bed, trying to hold back both puke _and _tears, and all you can think about is how _you _feel? What people might think of _you?_ Do you realize how many people are going to tell me 'I told you so'"?

Her words stung. The initial shock had begun to wear off, and now he was beginning to realize what a piece of shit he was for walking out on his pregnant girlfriend. He _should _have held her. He _should _have comforted her while she waited the agonizing five minutes. Instead, he ran away.

"Do you see Malcolm as a mistake?" Aria asked. He didn't answer. She raised her voice. "Would you ever want your son to think he was a mistake?"

"No," he admitted, shaking his head. "He was definitely a surprise—for the both of us—but I would never want to take it back, and I would never want him to feel like he shouldn't be alive."

"So, could you please not treat our baby as a mistake?" she pleaded, but still shouting every word. "Because I would never _ever_ consider my children—_our children—_as mistakes."

He sighed. "You're right."

"Not that it matters anyway." She reached into her coat pocket, pulling out a pregnancy test. "I won't trouble you with _your_ guilt of a teenage pregnancy or _your_ baby because _I'm_ not pregnant," she snapped, throwing the pregnancy test at his face. "I've never hated you so much in our entire relationship—for leaving me when I needed you the most." She opened the car door and jumped out, slamming it behind her.

The pregnancy test bounced off the window and landed on his lap, the ugly red minus sign burning him with guilt. _Hate._

* * *

***Hides under bed from the rage you all probably have for me***

**Yeah, yeah—I went there. I was going to keep this as a cliffhanger, but I didn't want you to chop my head off between chapters for making Aria pregnant. (Then I'd have to change the title to Stepmother at 17 and Mother at 18.)**

**Thanks to Florence and Jess who helped me with the direction of this chapter and next! I love you two so much.**

**If I had a jar to collect all of the tears that Aria has shed in this fanfic, I could probably open an aquarium.**

**By the way, the response I got from the last chapter was amazing. I am so happy that you like this story. I know I say that a lot, but it really brightens my day. I would list and thank everyone but then I'd leave people out and I don't like to do that.**

**A lot of you have been asking about Malcolm meeting Ella and Zack, and more scenes with Ezra and the girls. They will be coming. I'm not ignoring you. Malcolm will meet Ella and Zack next chapter.**

**PLEASE REVIEW LOVELY PEOPLE! Suggestions?**


	12. Chapter 12

**I HAVE 300 REVIEWS! I'm so happy!**

* * *

After Aria ran out of Ezra's car, she walked back into the building—not to her own car. Ezra assumed she was going to grab her stuff, change into her own clothes, but when she didn't walk out ten minutes later, he breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't leaving. She was still there. He didn't know why, but he had a smidgeon of hope that this wasn't the last straw remaining in their relationship.

He opened the door of his apartment to find Aria lying in his bed, still wearing his clothes, her back pressed up against the brick wall. She tightly grasped one of his pillows, loudly and desperately sobbing into it, her body shaking every time she tried to breathe.

After hearing the door close, she turned her head. "Go away, Ezra, I don't want to see you," she demanded.

"Well, seeing as this is my apartment," he pointed to the floor, "and it's only one room, I guess I'll go sit in the bathtub and write or something." He smiled at her sympathetically, walking to the bed.

"Oh, now you're making jokes because you're off the hook?" Aria cried. "Aria's not pregnant, so let's just go on with our lives, right?" She pulled the blanket tightly around her. "Because I've been through a lot the last few days, and I'd appreciate if you at least pretended like you loved me."

"Aria," Ezra consoled her. He lifted his arms and took his shirt off over his head. "I will never have to _pretend _like I love you." He got into bed and slid close to Aria.

"Go away," she begged, pulling the blanket over her head. "I hate you."

"No you don't," he whispered, pulling her against his bare chest and moving the blanket from in front of her face. "Besides, you can never hate someone until you've loved them first."

But Aria did not give in like Ezra hoped she would. She tensed up pushed him away, her palms pressed against his chest. "You _left me_, Ezra," she hissed through clenched teeth. She pushed him again. "You left me when I was falling apart!" She buried her face into the pillow, muffling her voice. "If you do not give me some space right now, I'm leaving."

Ezra frowned. "But then I'd be leaving you again, and I want to be here for you, Aria." He hesitated before putting his hand lightly on her shoulder. "You may hate me, but I'm still in love with you."

Aria groaned and sat up. She climbed to the bottom of the bed and stepped off. "Then I guess I'm leaving." She stumbled to the door; her head was pounding.

"You shouldn't be driving right now," Ezra told her, "you're too sick to be driving, and I will not let you." He climbed off the bed and rushed to the door, grabbing her arm.

"Fine, then I won't drive."

"It's too cold."

"Oh, really?" Aria snapped and looked back at him. "You're alright with leaving me when I'm in pieces, but you're concerned about me going outside?" She ripped her arm away from Ezra. "Make up your mind, because I can't tell if you actually care—or you just say you do because you don't want to lose me."

Aria dragged herself outside into the cold air, the few remaining tears trickling down her cheeks. She walked past her car on the side of the building and across the street to a small park, sitting down at the first picnic table she saw. It was cold outside, but it felt good compared to the stifling tension lying next to Ezra. How could she trust Ezra to be there for her in the future when he freaked out today? What would've happened if she had been pregnant? She didn't know if they'd make it through that—and that scared her. It scared her into running away. Just like Ezra did.

She sighed and folded her arms on top of the table, shielding her face in her coat. Everything was dark except for the light coming through a crack in the table.

She was too young to have a pregnancy scare. She was too young to have a stepchild. She was too young to be in a serious relationship with a grown man. The confidence she had in her relationship and supposed maturity disappeared with every tear that fell from her eyes.

* * *

Ezra paced back and forth across the small space of his apartment wondering if he should go after Aria, stopping every so often to pick up his glass of Scotch. He ran his hand through his hair when a knock came from the door.

"Thank god, Aria, I was worried—" He stopped when he noticed it wasn't Aria.

"What do you want, Wes?" Ezra asked, bitterness behind his voice. "I don't really have time for you right now.

Wes walked past Ezra into the apartment. "I ran into Aria at the store today."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "Good to know, Wes."

"I wanted to see if you were okay," he added with genuine concern. "And since Aria isn't here and you're drinking, I'll assume you're not."

Ezra put his hand on the back of his neck. "You know about the...?"

Wes smiled. "At least this time you'll get to watch your kid grow up, man."

"She's not pregnant, Wes," he told him, walking to the couch, "the test was negative, but we got into a fight, and I don't know where she went." He sat down and sighed. He nervously rubbed the palms of his hands against his pants and stared at the ground.

Wes sat across from him. "Don't worry. I saw her sitting in that park across the street."

Ezra jumped up. "I need to go after her, it's too cold and she's sick."

Wes walked in front of Ezra and put his hand on Ezra's arm. "She'll be fine. Just give her a little space before you go after her. Let her think about how much of a jerk you are."

Ezra sat back down. "I walked out on her when she told me she thought she was pregnant."

"Why would you do that?" Wes asked. "She's seventeen and probably terrified."

"I was just so angry at myself that I didn't want to break down in front of her or scare her or say the wrong thing, but instead I just _did _the wrong thing." Ezra leaned back against the couch and groaned in frustration. "I really messed up this time."

"Yeah, you were a complete asshole, Ezra," Wes told him.

Ezra narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here if you only plan on making it worse, Wes? Get out." He pointed the door.

"But didn't Aria hide the fact you had a son?" Wes raised an eyebrow. "You're both human. She cannot expect you to be this Godly boyfriend if she doesn't plan on being a perfect girlfriend. We're all assholes sometimes, and as long as we don't go over our asshole minutes, we're okay."

Ezra looked Wes straight in the eyes. "With Aria, there are no 'asshole minutes,'" he stressed, using air quotes. "Not with someone that important to me."

* * *

Aria had stopped crying and lifted her head to look at the apartment building across the street. She breathed in and out, the near-silence interrupted every few minutes by a car driving by on the street that separated her from Ezra. She wondered if he planned on coming after her. She wondered if he had given up yet.

Her phone vibrated from her coat pocket.

"Hi, Mom," she greeted, her voice strained from the day's events.

"Hi honey. Have you been crying again? Are you...?" She trailed off.

"Congratulations, Mom, you are _not_ a grandmother."

"Oh thank God, Aria," she breathed. "I'm so happy, not that I wouldn't have been happy if I were a grandmother, but not until you're older."

Aria let out a weak laugh. "I know, Mom. I know."

"Are you with him?"

Aria locked eyes with Ezra's apartment window. "...No."

"Oh," was all she said. "Where are you?"

Aria took a deep breath. "Sitting in the park across from his apartment."

"Uh oh."

"I had to take the pregnancy test myself, Mom, because he decided to walk out on me when I told him," she divulged. "Great boyfriend I have, right?"

Ella didn't respond right away. "Are you telling me the whole story? Because that seems unlike the Ezra I know...," she trailed off.

"I told him, he punched the couch, he ran outside and sat in his car," she bluntly listed his actions. "Like a teenage boy afraid of losing precious video game time or something."

Ella sighed. "Maybe you two need to give it a rest."

Aria's heart dropped. Maybe her mother was right. She didn't reply, though; she bit her lip as the tears started again.

"Aria?"

"Mhmmm," she mumbled. "I—I—guess you're right."

"I know it's hard to hear, but it could be beneficial to the both of you if you took some time for yourselves, so Ezra can bond with Malcolm, so you can deal with college stuff, so you can distance yourselves and see if—" she hesitated.

Aria creased her eyebrows and frowned. "And see if...?"

"Aria, you've never tried hard enough to get over him," she confessed apprehensively. "Maybe once you're out of the relationship, and you look back, you'll realize it wasn't _the one_ that you always thought it was."

"Mom—"

"If you hold onto something too tight, it'll break into pieces," she told her daughter, cringing as the words left her mouth. "I guess you could talk to him, but when it's all said and done, do you actually feel better?

Aria's headache became increasingly worse. She rested her head on the table, but kept the phone on her ear. "I always feel better when I'm with him, Mom."

Ella took a deep breath. "Then why are you storming out of his apartment every few weeks? Why are you always crying because of him?"

"Because I'm a teenager with a lot of angst?" Aria smiled.

"And he's a grown man, honey."

Aria's smile disappeared. Was her relationship really going backwards?

* * *

_Aria took a deep breath as she sat next to Ezra on the couch in late November. She nervously tapped her foot on the floor of his apartment. _

_Ezra placed his hand over hers. "Don't worry. If he's anything like me, he'll fall in love with you right away."_

_The creases of Aria's mouth barely raised. "Or he could take after Maggie and dislike me right away."_

_Ezra shook his head and chuckled. "Not true."_

_The two of them turned their heads as they heard a knock on the door. Ezra got up to answer it, leaving Aria alone on the couch. While Ezra conversed with Maggie about when to pick up Malcolm, the small boy peered into the room. He smiled when he found Aria._

_Ezra shut the door and took Malcolm's hand, leading him to Aria._

_"This is Aria, Malcolm," Ezra introduced. "She's going to play with us."_

_"You're my dad's friend," he simply stated._

_Aria frowned. "Yeah, I guess I am." She looked up at Ezra and pursed her lips. _

_"I don't have any friends that are girls," he admitted, looking up at his father. "Do you like to color?"_

_Aria nodded. "I love to color."_

_"Me too," Malcolm beamed. "I'm excited to have a girl friend."_

_Aria giggled. Ezra bent down and whispered into her ear. "One day at a time, we'll get through this. I promise." _

* * *

Ezra stood in front of his window and stared at the small park across the street. Aria was lying her head on the table, tracing the cracks in the wood with her fingers. She rubbed her hands on her arms to keep warm. Her eyes were wet with tears.

"I've given her more than enough time, Wes," he insisted, turning around to look at his brother who was watching TV. "I can't stand here and watch her cry and do nothing about it."

"She's not my girlfriend." He shrugged his shoulders and threw a grape into his mouth. "Go after her if you want."

Ezra looked back outside and found Aria looking into his window.

"I'm going out there." He walked over to Wes and grabbed the remote out of his hand, turning the TV off. "And you're leaving."

* * *

Spencer entered the small park and spotted what she assumed to be Aria sitting at an old wooden picnic table, her eyes shielded by her arms. Being mid-January with a layer of snow on the ground, Aria was the only one there. Not that it seemed like the type of park frequented by people even in the summer. It was more of a placeholder, only serving to sit and look pretty so tenants would rent the apartments across the street.

Spencer crossed her arms and carefully approached Aria, as if she were a house of cards ready to fall into pieces at any moment. She sat across from her at the picnic table. Aria flinched and lifted her head when she felt the table move. Her face was pale, except for the hint of red on her cheeks and around her eyes.

"Thanks for coming," she mumbled.

Spencer frowned at Aria's disheveled state. "Something tells me this has nothing to do with 'A' like the text implied."

Aria shook her head and looked down at her feet.

"You don't look so good, Aria," Spencer pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"I think I have the flu." She hesitated and bit her lip, taking her eyes away from Spencer. "And I took a pregnancy test about an hour ago." She spoke the words casually, like she was talking about a new pair of shoes.

"What!?" Spencer's eyes grew, her eyebrows raised. "And?"

Aria sighed. "I'm not pregnant, but Ezra and I had a really big fight." She looked directly at Spencer. "I think it's over—for real this time. He walked out on me when I told him that I thought, I thought–I thought I was pregnant," she stuttered. "Spenc, I don't know what to do, you're the one who is so wise about these things. Maybe it's time to finally let go."

Spencer chuckled softly. "Remember when we were studying for that Calculus test?"

"Yes." Aria nodded. "Why are you changing the subject when I'm in the middle of a crisis?"

"I'm not," she said. "I told you 'I'm going to fail this test' and you said 'Spencer, you say that every time, and you've never failed' and I didn't believe you, but what did I end up getting?"

"An A." Aria gave her a weak hint of a smile.

"Then you told me 'You don't know how not to get an A.'" Spencer put her hand on top of Aria's. "Aria, you don't know how _not _to be with Ezra."

Aria pulled her hand away and narrowed her eyes at her best friend, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, that came out wrong," she apologized, "I know you are strong and capable of getting through anything, but no matter how often you say you're done for good, I know you'll go back—because living without Ezra will be a lot more difficult than living with him."

Aria bit her bottom lip. "My mom had a completely different answer," she groaned and rested her head on her arms again. "I might just throw up again."

"Maybe my advice is the opposite of what your mom or even Cosmo will tell you, but we're Team Sparia, and I know you want to be with him." She reached out and shook Aria's arm. "If you're both still fighting, the battle isn't over yet."

Aria lifted her head and smiled.

"Just don't forget to use a condom next time," Spencer scolded, raising an eyebrow.

The girls turned as they heard someone clear their throat behind them. Ezra stood awkwardly a few feet away, with his hands in his pockets. "Aria, you need to go inside before you make yourself seriously sick, or at least have Spencer take you home."

"I don't think she needs me." Spencer winked at Aria as she lifted her legs over the bench of the picnic table. When she walked past Ezra, she hesitated, and took a few steps backwards. "You heard what I said—don't forget to—"

"Bye Spencer," Ezra interrupted her, his cheeks reddening.

Ezra sat next to Aria on the bench. He carefully put his arm around her and pulled her close. When she didn't pull away, he ran his hand up and down her arm and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so sorry for treating you like that, Aria. I just—I just couldn't imagine making you a mother at 18. I want you to go to school and follow your dreams, not stay at home and take care of a baby."

Aria nodded and leaned closer to Ezra. "I know," she mumbled. "I think I took my anger out on you when I saw that the test was negative."

Ezra pulled away and creased his eyebrows quizzically. "Let's get you back to bed and we can talk if you're up to it." He lifted his legs over the bench and stood up. He offered Aria his hand and helped her onto her feet. They linked their fingers together and crossed the street back to his building.

* * *

Aria immediately returned to Ezra's bed and requested he lay with her again. He held her body against his and placed gentle kisses across her forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned her head into his bare chest.

"I think I should take your temperature, Aria." He ran his fingers through her hair. "You feel pretty warm."

Aria shook her head. "Mmmnooo, just stay here with me, please," she mumbled. "Keep me warm."

"If that's what you want, I'll stay right here." He held her tight, one arm around her waist, the other rubbing her back.

After a few quiet moments, Aria tilted her head to look at Ezra. She opened her mouth to speak, but shut it quickly in hesitation.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ezra asked. "Because we only will if you want to."

"I'm sorry, Ezra," she breathed into his chest. "I've been worried about this for so long, I started to accept that I was pregnant, even though I really wasn't sure yet," she admitted. "I started imagining our life, picking out baby names with you as your hand rested on my belly, and then out of nowhere, I see that red minus sign," she told him. "I was so certain that I was pregnant, that it feels like I _lost_ our baby." She buried her head into his chest again and started to sob.

Ezra listened to every word intently. "Shhhh," he breathed into her hair, "I love you so much, and I will make it up to you every day until there is a plus sign on that test."

She tilted her head again. "You know when you have a really good dream, and you wake up, and sometimes it ruins your entire day—realizing your dream was actually just a dream?"

Ezra nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. "Like when you're eating a really good candy bar and you wake up and it's not under your pillow where it should be?" He smiled.

She rolled her eyes. "That's how I feel, only a million times worse," she pouted. "And the candy bar is an adorable baby, with beautiful blue eyes like yours."

"One day, Aria." Ezra kissed her gently on the lips, and then on the tip of her nose. "And I can get my candy bar tomorrow morning."

Aria lightly slapped him on his arm and giggled. "Next time I have to take a pregnancy test, please make sure I don't have to take it alone?" Her smile disappeared. "That was the scariest five minutes of my entire life."

"You'll never again have to go through anything scary like that alone," he promised, squeezing her small body in his arms. "Never."

Aria snuggled into Ezra's arms. "At least I know when you're a father to my children," she mumbled sleepily, "you'll be the best Daddy ever after watching you with Malcolm."

"Same to you, Aria."

"No, I want to be the Mommy, not the Daddy," she corrected him, smiling into his chest. "I'm going back to sleep and you're not allowed to leave, got it?"

"Got it, otherwise you'll throw something at my face again," he chuckled. "Sweet dreams." He kissed her temple.

* * *

**I have a lot to say. So, here it goes:**

**THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! **

**Huge thank you to Hannah for helping me with this chapter. She also gave me the line about Ezra making it up to Aria until the test is positive.**

**I finally got a full-time job after searching for six months! This is good for me, bad for you...because I may not update as quickly, but I'll try to do it once a week.**

**I like when Spencer saves the day.**

**For those of you who want to know why I included a pregnancy scare:**

**I know pregnancy is an overused storyline on FanFiction—but it's also one of the most popular. Not everyone likes it, but a lot of people do...even I will admit that some of my favorite stories include a pregnancy. Why? I don't know. We like to see our favorite OTPs as parents, because having children is the ultimate connection between a couple. We'll most likely never see it on the show, but neither will we see them having sex every episode. It's a guilty pleasure type of story, and fanfiction is a guilty pleasure, agreed?**

**I really wanted to include this plot line because of Malcolm. My story is based on Malcolm's introduction to their relationship. Ezra got a girl pregnant when he was in high school. Hmm, how would he feel if he did it twice? I thought making it a scare would be okay, but I knew as soon as some of you saw the sentence "I think I'm pregnant" you'd exit out and forget about me.**

**If you like this story, if you like my writing, please trust that I will not turn this into unrealistic fluff where they have four children before Aria's 20 and live happily ever after. I try to be as real as possible, and to be real, you need to include the ugly stuff as well as the pretty stuff, and I think the ugly stuff can be just as beautiful. **

**I just thought this needed to be said because of a few comments I saw. Thank you for sticking with me.**

**And if you read this entire note, four for you Glen Coco.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! Suggestions?**


	13. Chapter 13

Ezra peered over Malcolm's shoulder as the boy worked on his homework at the kitchen table. The first-grader filled in the branches of a family tree printed on a large piece of paper.

"Where do I put Wes?" He asked, looking over at his father who was now filling a glass with water.

Ezra walked over and put his glass down on the table. "He's my brother, so he's your..."

Malcolm looked at the ceiling in concentration, and then smiled. "My mom's brother is my uncle, so would he be my uncle?"

Ezra nodded. "Exactly."

Malcolm put his pencil to the paper. "Weeeessss," he tried sounding out the name. "W?"

"That's right. What's next?"

"S?" Malcolm guessed.

"No, it's W-E-S," Ezra chuckled. He pulled a chair out and sat next to his son. "And his last name is the same as mine."

Malcolm finished writing Wes's name and put his pencil down. "I'm done!" After a few moments, his mouth dropped open and he picked up his pencil again. "Where does Aria go, Dad?"

Ezra smiled and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, we're not married, so you don't really have to put her anywhere."

"Oh." Malcolm frowned and dropped his pencil. "But I want to put her on my family tree. What if I hurt her feelings because I left her out?"

"Alright," Ezra gave in and internally smiled, putting his arm around his son, "draw a line on the other side of my name and write 'Aria Montgomery.'"

Ezra picked up his glass of water and took a sip as he watched Malcolm effortlessly spell Aria's name. Malcolm paused at the end of 'Aria.' "Dad, how do you spell Montgomery? Can I just write 'Fitz'?"

Ezra nearly spit out his water. "No," he shook his head, "I'll help you spell Montgomery."

The simple request from Malcolm surprised Ezra. It had only been a little over two months since he discovered that he had a son, and now he was already accepting him _and _Aria into his family. To Malcolm, writing "Fitz" instead of "Montgomery" was an easy way to skip out on writing a difficult word; to Ezra, it was a glimpse into the future he hoped for himself and Aria. But Maggie would see this assignment, and he didn't want any questions. Connecting himself to Aria was going to cause enough trouble, even if it was only on a photocopied piece of paper likely to be forgotten in a few days.

"M-O-N-T-G-O-M-E-R-Y," Ezra spelled out Aria's last name. Malcolm carefully wrote each letter. "Good job, buddy."

Malcolm put his pencil down for the last time and placed the sheet of paper into his school folder. After he put the folder into his backpack, he frowned.

"I miss Aria, Dad," he whined, looking down at the floor. "I haven't seen her since before you two went on vacation _without me_."

Ezra smiled and put his hand on Malcolm's shoulder. "I told you that we needed to be alone for a bit, and do adult things that would bore you."

"Like kiss all of the time? You already do that in front of me." Malcolm scrunched up his nose. "Ewww."

"Something like that," Ezra admitted, remembering the kisses he shared with Aria in front of the fireplace.

"Can she come over, please Dad?" Malcolm pleaded, looking up at his father with big glossy eyes. "Pleaaaaaaseeeee?"

Ezra sighed. He missed Aria, too, as he hadn't seen her in a few days. She was still getting over the flu at her mother's apartment. When Ezra insisted that he take care of her, she told him she didn't want to get in the way of his work or seeing Malcolm. He didn't argue any further, but nonetheless, he called and texted frequently to check up on her.

"Sorry, buddy, she's too sick to come over today," he told him, "but next time you're here, I'll make sure she's here too."

Malcolm lowered his eyebrows and gritted his teeth. "You're her boyfriend, aren't you supposed to help her feel better?" He slid off his chair and put his hands on his hips, glaring at his father.

"You're right, but sometimes you need to give someone space when they want it, and Aria wanted to stay her mom's house." He put his hand on Malcolm's head and ruffled his hair, laughing at the seriousness in his son's demands. "But I'm sure she appreciates how much you care about her."

Malcolm grabbed Ezra's hands and forced him across the room. "Where is your paper?" he demanded.

Ezra stumbled over his feet as his small son lead him around the room. "Why do you need paper?"

"So I can make a card for Aria." Malcolm stopped and looked at Ezra. "If you're not going to make her feel better, then I will."

* * *

Malcolm kneeled on the ground in front of the coffee table, adding the final touches to Aria's card. His faces was inches away from the paper, putting every ounce of focus he had into creating the perfect card for his father's girlfriend. "Feel better Aria," he wrote. The table was covered in markers, pens, colored paper, and glue sticks. Ezra admired his son's diligence as he signed his name at the bottom. "Love Malcolm."

Malcolm turned his head and looked at Ezra. "Dad, you gotta keep working on your card so we can get to her house in time!" He nudged his father in the arm with the end of a marker.

Ezra chuckled and looked back at his card. He wasn't an artist, and he didn't try to be. On the front, it simply said "Feel better soon, Aria." On the inside, he wrote "I miss you and cannot wait to see your smile again." Underneath the writing, he drew two stick figures holding hands with hearts over their heads, next to two snowmen—one that was significantly shorter. "Love forever, Ezra."

Ezra held the card up for Malcolm. "Do you like it, buddy?"

Malcolm nodded vigorously and smiled. "The hearts are perfect, Dad!"

When Malcolm returned his attention to his card, Ezra quickly added the final touch to his drawing: a large chest on the short snow_women._

* * *

Ezra held Malcolm's hand in front of Ella's door. He carefully knocked and looked back at his son, who was grasping the cards and a new teddy bear in his other arm. The boy looked ahead, his eyes staring at the door in front of him. He was on a mission.

Ella opened the door and creased her eyebrows. "Ezra, what are you doing here?" Her eyes followed Ezra's hand to Malcolm. It was the first time she had seen the boy who had shook up her daughter's world as of late.

"I want to check on Aria," he told her, "and Malcolm has something he wants to give her."

Ella moved to the side so they could come in. "Hi Malcolm, I'm Aria's mom," she introduced, bending down slightly. "Aria told me how much fun you are to play with."

Malcolm smiled shyly. "I like playing with her, too," he replied quietly.

"Can I go see her?" Ezra asked. "Is she in the guest room?"

Ella looked down the hallway and hesitated. "I think she's...sleeping right now, but you're welcome to stay until she wakes up."

Ezra lead Malcolm to the couch and sat down with him. Ella situated herself on the love seat. She wanted to talk to Ezra, but everything she needed to say couldn't be said in front of a 7-year-old. A few minutes of awkward silence passed as they waited. They weren't sure what they were waiting for.

"Ella, do you have any orange juice? Aria said she wants some." Zack emerged from the hallway and stopped when he saw Ezra and Malcolm. "Oh hey, Ezra, didn't realize you were here."

Ezra moved his head. "Hi Zack."

"And this must be the famous Malcolm." He approached the boy and put his hand out. "My name is Zack."

Malcolm turned slowly and looked at Ezra in puzzlement. "Dad, I'm famous?"

The three adults quietly laughed. "You are to Aria's family, because they always hear about what a cool kid you are," Ezra clarified.

Malcolm smiled wide. "Can we go see Aria now?"

Ezra turned to Ella for approval.

"Malcolm, would you like some cookies first? I made some this morning." She lowered her voice and turned to Ezra. "I'd like to talk to you."

Malcolm left the room with Zack. Ella cleared her throat.

"Ezra, I really want to trust you, I do, but after what happened—"

"I assure you Ella, that Aria and I are as careful as we can be," he defended, nervously licking his lips. "I was just as shocked as you were when she told me."

Ella sighed. "This isn't an easy conversation, and I know neither of us want to be having it," she acknowledged. She pursed her lips. "And I wouldn't be bringing it up if I didn't think it was necessary, but Ezra, you have the ability to change her life by making one small mistake. Just once."

"Ella—"

"No, Ezra," she cut him off, "Aria has been miserable for days after that scare, and I do not want to see her like that again, and I especially do not want to call her and find her in hysterics because you walked out when she was terrified."

Ezra ran his fingers through his hair. "She told you?"

"Of course she did, I'm her mother and she's _seventeen_," Ella stressed and rolled her eyes. "And I did not defend you—so I'm not sure why she decided to give you another chance."

Ezra looked down at his hands and took a deep breath. "I love her, Ella."

"_She_ may buy that, but you need to prove yourself to me again," she demanded, lowering her eyebrows. "We're starting on a clean slate, and hopefully one day we can get back to where we were when I gave you the key to the cabin."

"That's fair." He stood up from the couch. "Can I go see her now?

Ella nodded. "Don't hurt her again," she demanded. "And use a damn condom."

Ezra blushed. "You don't have to worry."

* * *

Ezra carefully pushed the door open to the guest room and peeked in, noticing Aria lying in bed under several blankets, scrolling through her iPhone. The bedside table had a few empty glasses and some food wrappers—evidence she had been basically living in this room for some time. The TV was on low volume, but Aria wasn't paying attention to it.

"Hey beautiful," Ezra whispered, letting himself in and going to Aria's side. He kneeled down on the floor by the side of the bed. Aria turned to look at him and smiled weakly. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. "How are you feeling?" He took the iPhone away from her and placed it on the bedside table so he could hold her hand. With his other hand, he continued to brush his fingers through her hair.

"I'm...I'm okay," she mumbled. "Getting better."

"Would you mind if Malcolm came in? He really wants to see you."

Aria gently shook her head. "That's fine, I could use a smile right now."

Ezra left the room and came back moments later with Malcolm behind him. Malcolm went to the side of the bed and handed Aria his card and the stuffed bear. Aria smiled and looked up at Ezra. She opened the car from Malcolm.

"Thank you so much, Malcolm. It's beautiful."

"If Dad wasn't going to make you feel better, I decided I would do it," Malcolm beamed. "I picked out the bear, too. It's just like mine."

Aria ran her fingers through the bear's soft fur. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed a small piece of grey fabric newly stitched to its stomach in the shape of a heart. It was too familiar. She gazed at Ezra. "What is this?"

"You know that shirt you always steal from me when you're mad or upset and think I don't notice?"

"I do not!" she defended.

"Yes you do, I just never say anything," he pointed out. "Besides, there was mascara all over it."

Aria squeezed the bear into her chest. "I love it."

"And Malcolm insisted I also make you a card." He handed her the folded piece of blue paper.

She opened the card and giggled. "Thank you so much, Ezra. You're great at drawing snow _women._"

He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. "I will embarrass myself for you any day."

Malcolm sighed behind them. "Do you guys know how to do anything else?"

Aria and Ezra turned and smiled at Malcolm. "Well, I better get going before Malcolm catches whatever you have." Ezra put his lips against Aria's ear and whispered. "And I don't mean cooties." He kissed her on the temple. "Love you."

"Love you too," she answered softly, watching her boyfriend and his son exit the room. She already missed him.

* * *

Ella entered the guest room with a glass of orange juice and placed it on the table. She looked at Aria sympathetically and sighed.

"Aria, you know you're not really sick anymore." She sat on the edge of the bed. "You need to talk to him."

Aria tugged the blanket to her chin and closed her eyes. "I know, Mom."

"He's the only one who can be there 100% for you right now." She ran her fingers through Aria's hair, brushing it out of her face. "Don't shut him out forever." She stood up and began to leave the room, before she turned and looked at Aria once more. "And don't shut out the world forever, either."

* * *

The following afternoon, Aria found herself cuddled into Ezra's side on the couch, looking at the TV but not absorbing a thing. Everything was back to normal. Or she tried to convince herself that everything was back to normal, but it really wasn't. It wouldn't be for awhile, not until she was ready to move on from the scare and how Ezra reacted to it. She wanted to let go, but the feeling wouldn't leave her. Things just felt—different.

"I don't think I've seen you genuinely smile in days," Ezra turned and looked down at Aria with concern. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Aria shook her head. "I'm still a little lightheaded from being sick, but I'm okay." She forced a small smile and squeezed Ezra's hand. "I'm perfectly happy being right here again." She rested her head on Ezra's shoulder.

Ezra raised an eyebrow "If you say so." He took a deep breath. "Maggie wants me to come over her house for dinner on Tuesday night—and she said you can come too."

Aria lifted her head and narrowed her eyes. "Why would she invite me?"

Ezra shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I think it would be a good idea—for you two to get to know each other as more than a face at the door when she drops off Malcolm."

"I don't see why we need to get to know each other," Aria sighed and put her head back on Ezra's shoulder.

"Because, unfortunately, she's going to be a part of our lives for a long time, and we might as well make the best of it," Ezra told her gently. "She's a good person, Aria, but neither of you have been able to look past your problems."

"I guess I'll go with you," Aria groaned. "But only for Malcolm."

Ezra chuckled. "Oh? Have I been replaced?"

"I'm sorry, Malcolm is just so much cuter than you," Aria teased. She reached up and kissed him on the lips. "I'm kidding, except I did hear that you weren't doing your job properly when I was sick?"

"According to Malcolm, I'm a horrible boyfriend, but I could make that up to you about right..." He turned and passionately pressed his lips against Aria's, "...now."

* * *

The moment they stepped into Maggie's house, Aria was greeted by an enthusiastic Malcolm, much like she was whenever she entered Ezra's apartment. He bolted from his room and into Aria's arms, squeezing her as tight as he could.

Ezra lifted his arms and frowned. "What about your Dad?"

Malcolm released Aria from his grip and ran into his father's arms. "Sorry, Dad."

Maggie walked out of the kitchen. "Hey guys, I guess Malcolm took over the welcoming part," she laughed. She put her hands on her hips. "I'm almost done with dinner. Malcolm, will you entertain your guests while I finish?"

Malcolm eagerly nodded and grabbed Aria and Ezra's hands, leading them to his room. "Do you want to play Gold Fish? My mom just taught me how to play."

Aria giggled. "You mean Go Fish?"

"That's what I said!"

"We'd love to, Malcolm," Ezra answered. He sat crossed-legged on the floor. Aria was about to sit next to him, when Ezra reached up and grabbed her by the waist, causing her to scream and fall backwards into his lap. "Sit with me," he breathed into her ear, then moved her hair so he could kiss her neck.

Aria lightly bounced on his lap, smirking at Ezra. "If you say so."

Malcolm kneeled on the floor beside them and opened the box of cards, slowly and clumsily dealing everyone an equal amount.

The three of them played a few rounds of Go Fish—or Malcolm's loose interpretation of the game where he ended up winning every time.

"I win!" He shouted again. "I win! I win!"

Maggie poked her head in the door, watching her son celebrate his victory while Aria smiled from Ezra's lap. Ezra discreetly tickled Aria's neck, causing her to let out a small and sudden giggle. They looked like a family.

"Dinner's ready if you three want to come to the table now."

The three of them looked up at the door where Maggie's voice was coming from. Aria and Ezra nodded.

Malcolm jumped to his feet. "I want to sit between Dad and Aria," he announced, running out the door.

After dinner, Aria sat crossed-legged on the living room floor next to Malcolm while he showed her his favorite Legos. The two of them started to build a barn out of the small plastic pieces. Aria smiled when Malcolm placed a plastic purple hippo on top of the barn.

"Malcolm," she laughed, "hippos don't belong in farms." She went to take it off when Malcolm hit her hand away.

"No, this is a _hippo farm_, mommy!"

The word "mommy" hit Aria like a slap in the face. She dropped her hands onto her lap and slowly lifted her head, hoping to find that Maggie had not heard the word slip from her son's mouth. But she did, and if the scowl on her face was any indication, she didn't like it.

"Malcolm, no, no, I'm Aria," Aria told him in a panic. "You called me 'Mommy.'"

Malcolm wasn't phased. He looked at Aria for a second. "Sorry Aria, sometimes I feel like you're my other Mommy because you're always with my Dad." He continued to play as if nothing had happened.

Malcolm's comment warmed Aria's heart—that is, until she remembered that Maggie was listening. She couldn't get mad at Malcolm for jumping to such a conclusion—it was only natural for him to treat Aria like a mother figure, because that's what she was. Albeit usually when Maggie was not around.

"Aria, do you want some coffee or something?" Maggie offered from her seat at the kitchen table, where she was sitting with Ezra.

She shook her head. "No...no thank you," she declined.

Maggie lowered her eye brows. "Water?"

Aria got the hint and stood up from the floor. She straightened her shirt and sat next to Ezra at the table.

Maggie lowered her voice so Malcolm wouldn't hear. She looked back into the living room to make sure he was focused on his Legos. "I don't want him calling you Mommy," she snapped.

"Yeah, I didn't ask him to do that...it kinda just happened." She let out a nervous laugh.

"But for some reason, he feels comfortable enough to call you 'Mommy,'" she argued, crossing her arms on the table. "What are you doing when I'm not around?"

"Maggie, it was just a little slip," Ezra defended his girlfriend. He reached for her hand underneath the table and squeezed it. "I understand why you don't like it, but it's really not Aria's fault."

"You don't get it," she groaned, running her fingers through her short hair. "You didn't have to raise a son on your own. You didn't have to tell him why he didn't have a daddy every time one of his friends asked him about it." She looked Aria straight in the eye. "You didn't have to deal with having a _baby at 18 years old._"

Aria bit her lip and blinked her eyes a few times, trying her best not to break down. It wasn't the time nor place, but nothing could stop the emotion from exploding out of her. "Yeah, but I had to deal with _losing_ a baby at 17." She stood up, slammed the chair into the table, and rushed out the door.

Maggie's jaw dropped. Ezra leaned his elbows against the table, resting his head in his hands. What did she mean?

"She was pregnant?" she asked, still in shock. "You got Aria pregnant?"

"We had a scare last week," he shook his head, visibly upset, "but I guess it was more than a scare, and she never told me."

"Ezra, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize—"

"Yeah? Neither did I, and I'm guessing this wasn't the way she planned on telling me," he seethed, slamming his fists into the table. "I love her, Maggie. I know it's hard for you to grasp, but I love her and she is going to be a part of Malcolm's life whether you like it or not." Ezra stood and forcibly pushed his chair in. "You should be happy that he has someone in his life that cares about him as much as Aria does." Ezra hurried out the door after Aria, accidentally kicking a few Legos across the floor. Malcolm started to cry.

* * *

_A day after her pregnancy scare, Aria woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating sharp pains in her abdomen and lower back. When she went to bed a few hours before, she attributed the pain to period cramps, as she was a week or so late and expected to get it any day now. But this pain couldn't be from her period; it was too strong, too powerful. She tried lying on her stomach and gasped; the pain was too much to handle. Her stomach dropped when she felt something dripping down her leg._

_She jumped up into a sitting position and turned on her bedside lamp, holding her breath as she pulled the covers off of her body. A tiny river of blood was trickling down her leg; her sheets and bedspread were a dark, horrifying red. This definitely wasn't her period._

_She whimpered through the pain, holding her abdomen and trying to call for help. "Mike," she cried, "Dad." Her eyes were squeezed shut as she wept, hoping someone would hear her call for help. Seconds later her door opened and Mike walked in, rubbing his tired eyes with his hands. He blinked a few times and focused on Aria, who was bent over in pain and on the verge of hyperventilating._

"_Oh my god, Aria, what...what happened." He ran towards her, noticing the blood on her leg and the bed. "Why are you bleeding?"_

"_Mike," she tried to take a breath, "you need to call mom and tell her to meet us at the hospital, I think—I think—I lost—" She couldn't finish, as another sob broke from her throat. _

_Mike tried to connect her broken sobs. His jaw dropped. "Aria, Aria, are—were you pregnant?" He put his hand on her shoulder, trying desperately to communicate with his sister. _

_Aria couldn't answer her brother; instead she continued to cry, holding her abdomen from the physical and emotional pain she was experiencing. _

_Mike grabbed Aria's phone from her bedside table and frantically scrolled through her contacts until he found his mother. "Mom, you need to meet us at the hospital," he paused as his mother panicked on the other end, "No, no, I think Aria is having a miscarriage."_

* * *

Aria sat in the passenger seat of Ezra's car. She didn't have anywhere else to go. No car, no train anywhere close to Maggie's neighborhood to escape this. The inevitable conversation would happen as soon as Ezra came outside to find her. One tear fell, remembering the innocent baby she lost the week before. Another tear fell remembering it was her and Ezra's baby. The third fell. Was it a boy? A girl? Soon she was nearly hyperventilating just like she had _that _night, taking deep breaths in between loud sobs. She covered her face with her hands, catching the tears as they fell.

She heard the car door open. The car shifted as Ezra sat down beside her in the driver's seat. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to explain what happened. "I lost the baby," she whimpered, "I lost—"

"Shhh," Ezra soothed, "I know." He put his keys in the ignition and started the car, his own tears beginning to fall. As soon as he backed out of the driveway, he grabbed Aria's hand and kissed it, pressing his lips against her cold skin repeatedly. He held her hand in the middle console for the rest of the ride, rubbing the top of her knuckles with his thumb to soothe her as their tears slowly disappeared. They didn't talk. He knew it was easier for her that way.

When they pulled into his parking space in front of his apartment, he looked at his girlfriend. Her face was red, small strands of hair stuck to her face with the glue of her salty tears. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he told her, squeezing her hand that he had yet to let go of. She turned her head to face him for the first time since she left Maggie's, giving him the smallest smile she could manage. He reached forward and brushed her hair out of her eyes with his fingers. "Whenever you're ready, you can open up to me—but please don't feel like you ever have to hide something like this." Her head barely moved up and down; Ezra wasn't even sure if it was a nod. "We'll get through this—and everything else—together, that's why we fought so hard for our relationship, right?" Aria moved her head, this time a more noticeable nod. Tears started to fall down her cheeks again. Ezra pulled her close; she leaned against his body as best she could while remaining in her seat, pouring her guilt and misery onto her boyfriend's chest. He cradled her head against the crook of his neck, leaning down to press a kiss onto the top of her head.

"Remember what I told you? Never think you have to go through anything this scary alone."

* * *

**So, there's that chapter. I've thought long and hard about this twist, and ultimately decided I wanted to go in this direction. I wrote it weeks ago and just couldn't part with it. **

**Thank you for the reviews. Thanks for the enthusiasm. Thanks for the Twitter love and support. A few months ago I was an avid fanfiction reader and never imagined having the ability or desire to write my own story, and I am _so_ glad I did. (Which is why this one-shot turned super-long story has the stupidest, least poetic name ever, but hey, it could be worse. Like _Teen Mom_.)**

**PLEASE REVIEW! ! ! Suggestions? How do you think Aria will deal with this? Anything you'd like to see?**

**Love you all!**


	14. Chapter 14

Ezra moved around the kitchen as Aria rested on the couch, her legs sprawled out across the cushions. It was 2 p.m. and she was still in her pajamas—or rather, the remnants of her favorite grey t-shirt that once belonged to Ezra. The teddy bear she received a few days before sat on her stomach. Ezra watched her as she stared at the stuffed animal, running her fingers through its fur and over the heart stitched onto its stomach. He didn't want to know what she was thinking, but at the same time, he felt like he had to. He finished drying a plate with a dishtowel and placed them next to the sink.

Aria hadn't mentioned the baby since the night before, and it was killing Ezra. How did she find out? Did it hurt? Overwhelming guilt filled every inch of his mind and heart as he scolded himself for putting Aria in this position. How could he let this happen to someone he loved so much? He carefully approached Aria and lifted her legs before sliding next to her on the couch. Her bare legs rested on his thighs as her shirt rode up, exposing her black underwear. She didn't acknowledge his presence; her eyes remained on the bear. He gently ran his fingers up and down her legs, feeling the goosebumps on her cold skin.

"Aria," he whispered, "do you want to go out?"

Her eyes barely moved from the bear to vaguely connect with Ezra's face. "Hmm?"

"Do you want to go out?" he repeated. He held onto her feet, slowly rubbing circles with his thumb. "We can go shopping, or we can go out for an early dinner, or to a movie...?"

Aria sat up and forced a smile. "Okay, sure." She really didn't care what they did, but she owed it to Ezra.

Ezra leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. "Malcolm is coming over soon, so he'll have to come with us."

The creases of Aria's mouth returned to a frown, disappointment evident in her face. "Oh, I thought today wasn't his day..." She looked down at her legs, pulling them against her chest and resting her chin on her knees. The large shirt formed a tent over her small body.

"It's not, but Maggie had to organize her classroom or something and asked if I could take him today." He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her close, but she remained in the same position. "Do you—" he hesitated, taking a deep breath, "Do you want to—do you want to talk?"

Aria barely shook her head. "Not yet," she mumbled into her knees. "Sorry, I just—" She bit her lip, moving her eyes to look at the ceiling. "Don't know how."

Ezra nodded, moving one hand to the back of his neck. "Okay." He stood and returned to the kitchen, opening the fridge to take out the carton of milk. Once he placed it on the counter, he turned to look at Aria. "I'm sorry, Aria." He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.

Aria lifted her head and looked at Ezra. "Why?"

He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. "For being selfish, for letting this happen, for—"

"Stop it," she snapped, interrupting his rambles. "You're not allowed to do that to me right now." She rested her head on her knees again, holding legs against her chest. "Don't make me feel guilty for hurting you too."

* * *

_The streets were nearly black besides the sparse street lights dimly illuminating the pavement. At 3:30 in the morning, they seldom passed another car on their twenty minute ride to the hospital. Byron was wearing black sweatpants, a gray sweatshirt, and a pair of sneakers without socks, as he was rudely awaken from a deep sleep by a panicked Mike, screaming that Aria needed to go to the hospital._

_They stopped at a red light and waited for the light to turn green at the deserted intersection. Aria's quiet whimpers pierced through the silence of the car. She wasn't in much physical pain anymore; now it all resided in her mind. And she would take any amount of physical pain to soothe what was dragging through her head. Her hand subconsciously rested on her stomach, protecting what she assumed was no more. _

_She killed her baby. She killed Ezra's baby. _

_Byron cleared his throat, but still looked ahead, focusing on the traffic light in front of him. "Honey, maybe you should call Ezra," he quietly suggested. He wiped a lone tear from his cheek with his thumb. "He could meet you at the hospital."_

_Aria shook her head. She took a deep breath, but when she tried to exhale, it came out as a trail of loud sobs instead. She leaned her head on the window, flinching as the cold glass touched her cheek. _

_She wanted Ezra, she wanted him to hold her in his arms and protect her from the painful thoughts. But she was ashamed, and she was scared. And most of all she felt guilty for not knowing her own body, for allowing herself to let something like this happen. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass, suddenly feeling like a small, vulnerable child. And yet she wasn't on her way to get a few stitches after falling off her roller skates, she was on her way to see if she were having a miscarriage. _

"_Do you think he'll hate me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. _

_Byron turned to look at his daughter, creasing his eyebrows in confusion. He shook his head. "Of course not," he answered. He turned and focused on the road. "He'll probably hate himself."_

_The light turned green and Byron continued driving to the hospital._

* * *

Malcolm and Ezra sat on a bench outside the fitting rooms at a store in the mall. Malcolm swung his feet back and forth in boredom as Aria tried on a few dresses in the adjacent room.

"Can we go to the movies now?" he pleaded, throwing his head back and staring at the ceiling. "I'm bored."

Ezra looked at his son and smiled "I promised Aria that we could go shopping before we went to the movie."

Malcolm pouted and crossed his arms. "I hate clothes."

"Ezra?" Aria called from the fitting room. She opened the door a crack and looked out. "Can you see if they have this dress in a 5?"

Malcolm groaned and repeatedly hit his head against the wall behind them. "I want to go now."

Ezra glared at Malcolm. "Sure," he nodded and stood up. "What's wrong with the 3?"

Aria frowned and narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "You're not supposed to ask your girlfriend a question like that."

"Sorry." Ezra put his hands up in surrender. "Let me come in for a second."

Aria sighed and stepped to the side, opening the door further so Ezra could fit inside.

"Stay there Malcolm," he instructed before closing the door behind him.

Aria stood in front of the mirror wearing a a navy blue, form-fitting lace dress, turning from side to side as she inspected her appearance. She pursed her lips and scrunched up her nose. "It's too small."

Ezra's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? It's beautiful. _You're _beautiful."

"Of course you would say that." Aria turned around and faced Ezra, raising an eyebrow. "But I don't like the way it makes my hips and ass looks."

"Well, I do."

Aria crossed her arms in front of her chest and narrowed her lips.

"I'll go look for the 5," he gave in. "Keep an eye on Malcolm for me?"

While Aria waited for Ezra, she pulled the dress over her body—with some effort, as it was meant to be a tight, form-fitting dress. She hung the dress back on its hanger and placed it on the hook on the door.

"I'm back," Ezra announced from the other side. She hid in the corner behind the door as it opened so Malcolm wouldn't see her in her underwear. Ezra stepped in and handed her a black, a-lined strapless dress with a subtle, magenta floral pattern. "I like this one better than that one." He pointed to the dress on the back of the door. "It's more _Aria." _

Aria smiled and took the dress from Ezra. She instinctively looked at the tag attached to the dress and gasped. "Ezra, this is beautiful, but it's $120." She immediately handed the dress back to Ezra. "I cannot afford that."

Ezra didn't accept the dress. "Try it on. I'll buy it for you."

"I don't need it," she told him, putting the dress against his chest. "Besides, I bet you like this outfit even more."

He took the dress from her and rolled his eyes as a half-naked Aria posed in front of him. "You're beautiful in the dress or out of the dress, but I still think you should try it on." He leaned down and softly kissed her on the lips.

"Are you two kissing in there?" Malcolm shouted from outside the fitting room. "Stop kissing and hurry up!"

Aria pulled away from his lips, still smiling. "I better try this on," she breathed into his mouth, taking the dress from him. "And you better sit out there with Malcolm before this turns into more than kissing."

* * *

Aria and Ezra held Malcolm's hands between them as they walked to the theater showing _We Bought a Zoo_. Ezra held a large bucket of popcorn while Aria carried three drinks and the tickets. Ezra opened the door to the theater, holding it for Aria, Malcolm and the small group behind them.

"Well, that was fast," a teenage boy remarked as he walked past Ezra. "Not only are you doing it with your teacher, but you already have a kid." He pointed to Malcolm who stood beside Aria.

Ezra looked behind him and saw Noel Kahn and a group of friends. "Noel, are you ever going to give it up?" Ezra grabbed Malcolm and Aria's hands and started walking away to find a seat in the theater.

Aria's face immediately turned pale. Noel's words hit her twice as hard as he planned, because he was right—just not in the way he had implied. Ezra squeezed her hand as he lead them to a row of seats in the middle of the theater, sitting down between her and Malcolm. He turned towards Aria and smiled. "Are you okay?" She nodded, but kept her eyes focused on the screen in front of them.

"I'm not going to give it up," Noel hissed from a seat behind him. He leaned forward between Aria and Ezra's heads, lowering his voice so only they could hear him. "Not until everyone knows you _had sex with your student._"

Ezra tried to ignore the comments from the asshole behind him, but he couldn't say the same for Aria. He looked her in the eyes, silently asking if she wanted to leave. Aria jumped up from her seat and stumbled over the laps of the people beside her as she escaped from the row of seats. She quickly walked out of the theater right before the lights dimmed and the previews started.

Ezra stood up. "Come on Malcolm, we need to go after Aria." He put the popcorn on the ground in front of their seats.

"The movie is starting soon, Dad!" he whined.

Noel chuckled from his seat, smirking at his success. "Better go after Aria, Mr. Fitz, you don't want to lose any students on this exclusive field trip." He leaned back against his seat and winked, receiving quiet laughs from his friends.

"Malcolm, now," Ezra ordered. He grabbed Malcolm's hand and forced him out of the seat and down the aisle. Once they opened the door to the lobby, he found Aria crouched against a wall. He hurried over to her with Malcolm behind him.

"I'm sorry, Ezra," she mumbled from the floor. "Can you please drive me to my mom's place? I can't be in the same room as him."

Ezra bit his lip and nodded, offering her his hand. "Yeah, let's go."

Aria accepted Ezra's hand and stood up. Her eyes searched the lobby of the theater before she buried her face into Ezra's jacket.

"This isn't fair," Malcolm shouted from behind them. "I want to stay!" His eyes welled up as he took a few steps backwards. "We're staying."

Ezra wrapped his arms around Aria and held her close, rubbing his hands up and down her back. "I'm sorry Malcolm, but I think we need to leave." He pressed a kiss on the top of Aria's head. "We'll come back another day. I promise."

"No." Malcolm gritted his teeth as tears ran down his cheeks. "I want my mom," he cried. He rubbed his eyes with his small fists. "It's always _Aria, Aria, Aria._" He took a step backwards. "_You love Aria more than you love me_!" He quickly turned around and ran out of the lobby, to the exit that connected the theater to the mall.

Ezra was taken aback at Malcolm's statement. He felt like he was in the middle of a constant tug-o-war between the two people who filled his heart. He was afraid one day, one of them would let go. For good.

He let go of Aria and started to go after Malcolm, until he noticed she wasn't following him. "I need to find him, Aria, I can't just let him run off by himself."

"Go ahead, I'm going home." Aria shook her head and backed up in the opposite direction. "I always thought Malcolm was screwing up _our_ relationship," she realized, frozen on her feet, "but I'm ruining _your_ relationship."

Ezra darted his eyes between Aria and the exit Malcolm ran through, trying to decide who to follow. After a few seconds, he shook his head and walked towards the mall—away from his girlfriend.

* * *

Ezra frantically searched the mall for his son, cursing at himself for waiting so long to run after him. If Maggie found out, she'd never trust him again, and he couldn't let that happen. It's not that he didn't want to comfort Aria, because he did—but Maggie had the ability to limit Malcolm's visits like she had previously done. But he cringed whenever he imagined Aria's distressed face as he abandoned her in the theater.

_But I'm ruining your relationship._

He spotted Malcolm crying in front of two security guards at the information desk in the center of the mall. He breathed a sigh of relief and approached Malcolm and the two men.

"Thank god, Malcolm," he reached for his hand, "you can't run off like that, buddy."

"Is this your Dad?" One of the men crouched down in front of Malcolm and looked him in the eye.

Malcolm shyly nodded his head. "Mhmm."

"Thank you," Ezra thanked them. He walked away with Malcolm by his side. "Malcolm, you know I love you very much, but Aria really needed me tonight." Ezra found a bench and sat down, pulling Malcolm on top of his lap. "I'm sorry if I've made you believe that she's more important than you, because that's not true at all. I love you both more than anything in the world."

"Okay," Malcolm whimpered without looking at his father. "But why is Aria so sad?"

Ezra scratched his head. "Let's go talk, man to man, over a pretzel."

Malcolm's face lit up. "Can I get one with cinnamon sugar _and _frosting?"

Ezra laughed and ruffled Malcolm's hair. "Sure."

Once Malcolm and Ezra settled down at a table with their pretzels between them, Ezra cleared his throat. "This is a a very adult conversation, Malcolm, and you may not understand everything."

Malcolm frowned and narrowed his eyes. "I'm smart, Dad."

Ezra smiled. "Indeed, you are." He paused and tried to organize his thoughts before explaining such a complex concept to a small child. How would a 7-year-old, who barely understands the concept of death, understand the grief that comes with losing an unborn child? He opened his mouth to speak, hesitating with his first words. "Well...Aria and I were going to have a baby, but the baby wasn't strong enough, and," he choked, not expecting the tears that were trying to escape from his eyes, "and it didn't make it."

Malcolm frowned. "You mean it died?"

Ezra nodded and looked down at his pretzel. "Yeah, it died before it left Aria's belly."

"It's okay to cry, Dad." Malcolm reached for his father's hand. "That's what Mom always tells me when I'm sad, like after my Grammy May died." He picked a small piece of his pretzel and tossed it in his mouth. "She's in a better place now, Mom told me, and so isn't your baby."

Ezra wiped a tear from his cheek and smiled. "You're right Malcolm, it's okay for us men to cry sometimes."

"Why can't you have another baby?" Malcolm cocked his head to the side. "That would make Aria happy."

Ezra rested his hands on his lap and sat back in his chair, looking past Malcolm and across the food court. "It's hard to explain."

"I told you I was smart." Malcolm crossed his arms and waited for his dad to tell him everything he knew.

Ezra sighed, knowing Malcolm would continue to ask questions. "Aria is younger than me, and some people don't like that—like that mean boy at the movie theater who made Aria cry." He nervously scratched his head. "Aria _can _have another baby now, but it would be better for her to have one when she is older, when she's out of school like I am."

"Then why did she have a baby inside of her?"

Ezra wasn't ready for _the talk, _and neither was Malcolm. "Sometimes we're handed things we're not ready for, but it doesn't mean we're not sad when someone takes it away." Ezra took a sip of his soda, and placed it back on the table. "And that's the easiest way I can explain it to you."

Malcolm twisted his lips and looked in the distance, deep in thought. "My mom told me that she had me when she wasn't ready, and sometimes it was very hard for her to do her homework and get a job," Malcolm admitted. "But she also said that she loves me so much, so everything was worth it."

"She's right, and Aria and I won't be able to have that love with our baby." Ezra nodded as another tear slipped down his cheek. "That's why she's so sad."

"No Dad," Malcolm looked Ezra in the eyes, "that's why _you're _sad, too."

* * *

Aria's eyes fluttered open as she felt someone's hand shaking her shoulder. She shifted her body and found Spencer sitting beside her. Hanna and Emily smiled when Aria noticed them perched at the bottom of her bed. Aria closed her eyes again and buried her head back into her pillow, pulling the blankets tightly around her.

"Can't you let me sleep in?" she mumbled sleepily. "It's the weekend."

"And it's also 11 a.m.," Spencer pointed out, shaking Aria's shoulder again. "We're going to the lake house for the weekend, and you don't have a choice in the matter."

"Says who?" Her voice muffled into the pillow.

"Says your mother," Emily added from the end of the bed. "She told me you needed us, so we're here to give you a break from..." Emily stopped herself and looked at Hanna apprehensively.

Aria turned her body and looked at the girls. "From Ezra?"

Hanna rolled her eyes. "No, from being, like, 35 at 17." She put her hand on Aria's leg and smiled. "But if we're being blunt, I guess Mr. Fitz is part of that equation, seeing as he's _old_."

Aria sat up and reached for her phone on her nightstand. Spencer beat her to it and grabbed the phone, slipping it into her back pocket. "I'm giving this to your mom for the weekend."

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Spence, you sure that you're not my mom?"

"If you're asking if I care about your well-being, then yes, go ahead and call me _'_Mom,' but we're going to the lake house and this phone is not." Spencer patted her back pocket where Aria's iPhone resided. She reached for Aria's hand and forced her out of bed. "Get dressed and pack some clothes and we'll be waiting out there. I already have your ice skates in the car."

* * *

Aria and Spencer linked arms as they clumsily ice skated on the frozen lake behind Spencer's lake house. Emily attempted to help an equally clumsy Hanna a few feet away, proving to be the only competent one on the ice.

"Why did we even bother bringing our ice skates?" Emily asked in frustration, pulling Hanna up from the ice for what seemed like the fifteenth time.

Hanna steadied herself on her feet. "Because otherwise we'd be bored all weekend with Spencer's No iPhone Rule." She grabbed onto Emily's arm again. "And we can't all be expert ice skaters, Em."

"Just because I'm a swimmer, doesn't mean I'm an expert on _frozen_ water," Emily corrected Hanna, pulling her across the ice a little too fast, as Hanna fell on her ass again. "Forget this, I'm cold, let's go inside," Emily announced to the group in defeat.

Aria nodded. "I agree, I just got over the flu and I don't want to get sick again," she lead the way back to the house, carefully skating over the ice.

"Good thing it was only the flu," Spencer noted, then stopped and crossed her arms, giving Aria an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up."

Aria smiled and shook her head, waving her hand to let Spencer know it was no big deal. Even though it was a big deal—but she didn't know how to bring it up in casual conversation, or if she should bring it up at all.

The four girls finally reached the edge of the lake and took their skates off, replacing them with boots. As they walked back inside the house, Hanna creased her eyebrows as she replayed the conversation in her head.

"Wait, brought _what _up, Spencer?"

Spencer glanced at Aria for approval. Aria bit her lip and nodded, knowing it was the time. She pulled her boots off her feet and sat down on one of the couches in the sitting area in front of the fireplace. Hanna and Emily kept their eyes on Aria, following her every move.

"Aria thought she was pregnant a couple weeks ago," Spencer told them casually, stepping out of her boots. "But thankfully, she dodged that bullet and is now putting extra condoms in her purse, right?" She joined Aria on the couch. The other two girls followed, sitting across from them.

"Imagine if you had Mr. Fitz's baby," Hanna squealed, "you'd definitely change the subject for at least a few weeks in Rosewood."

Spencer glared at Hanna. "It's nothing to squeal about, Hanna, do you realize what a disaster that would've been for the both of them?"

"It's not like it happened," Hanna shot back, plopping her body across the couch.

"Actually," Aria began, receiving everyone's sudden attention, "it did." She crossed her arms and looked at the top of her legs. "I _was_ pregnant."

Spencer's jaw dropped. "What?!" Her eyes were wide open in shock as she concentrated on Aria's expression. "You lied to me?" She stood up and left Aria's side, finding a spot on the love seat in front of the window.

Hanna sat up and looked at Aria. "You didn't tell us?"

"Wait guys." Emily sat next to Aria, putting her hand on her shoulder. "What do you mean by '_was_ pregnant'?"

Aria looked at the ceiling and bit her lip again, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor. "I had—I had a miscarriage last week."

The three girls stared at Aria in silence, each on a different couch, each hesitant about how to approach the situation. At once, they ran over to Aria and enclosed her small body in a tight hug, allowing her to collapse into their arms.

"We love you so much Aria," Emily told her, not letting go. "I'm so, so sorry."

Hanna leaned away from the group hug and looked at Aria's face. "Would it make you smile if I told you that Spencer was just sitting on _my _sacred ground?" The three girls—all of them besides Spencer—giggled at Hanna's confession.

"That's my Nana's couch!"

* * *

Ezra didn't know where Aria was. He didn't know why she wasn't answering her phone. And he was, to say the least, worried sick. After nearly two days of her phone going straight to voicemail, he gave in. He drove to Ella's apartment, powered on love and concern for the person he cared about the most—and a little anger that Aria, or anyone, was neglecting to give him any information. That he was so unimportant in their lives, he didn't deserve to be told anything.

He pounded on Ella's apartment door. Seconds later, Ella opened the door and stood in front of him. "What the hell are you doing, Ezra?"

Ezra relaxed and softened his expression. "Sorry, Ella, I didn't mean to—I was just worried and Aria isn't answering her phone and—"

Ella put her hand up. "I get it. Come in." She lead him to her small kitchen table and sat down. "Coffee?"

Ezra shook his head vigorously. "No. Aria," he demanded. "Aria."

"She went away with the girls for the weekend," she told him, narrowing her eyes, "you don't have to be so—aggressive. It's _concerning_, and frankly, a little scary."

Ezra ran his fingers through his hair. "I wouldn't be like this if my girlfriend—who means a heck of a lot to me—didn't just run off without telling me where she is, and leaving me worried that she's hurt or _dead._"

Ella crossed her arms. "She needed to get away, Ezra, and be with the girls for a while." She sighed in annoyance. "To take her mind off the," she lowered her voice, "the baby."

"I want her to need _me, _Ella." He licked his lips. "I'm supposed to be able to help her, and I can't even do that." He rubbed his sweaty palms on the top of his jeans. "I even Googled how to talk to her about this, and there isn't an answer about how to talk to _Aria._"

Ella hesitated and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "How are you doing?" she asked gently.

Ezra quickly shook his head and blinked a few times. "What?"

"You lost a baby, how do you feel?" She looked him in the eyes. "You're trying to take care of Aria, but what about you?"

"Honestly?" He raised his eyebrows. "Like I'm trying to run a marathon with two broken legs. Every time I move forward, I crumble under the surface. But seeing her smile—a real smile—is the finish line."

Ella smiled and grabbed Ezra's hand, attempting to calm him. "Everything happens for a reason, Ezra—I really believe in that."

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait! I've had family at my house since Christmas and I wanted to spend time with them. And I started my full-time job the day after Christmas. (Yuck.) This adult stuff sucks.**

**For those of you who were confused, the pregnancy test Aria took at Ezra's was a false negative. Then she went home, and a day or so later she had the miscarriage. So she really did think she wasn't pregnant.**

**Thank you bite-me-im-irish for the suggestion of having Aria go away with the girls!**

**I wrote a short one-shot called "One Row Over from the Windows." If you haven't read it, you should. Just go to my stories. :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW! And as always, I love you. My reviews from chapter 13 were drenched in tears. I apologize, but I also loved them. I'm cruel. *evil laughter***


	15. Chapter 15

_Aria was lying on an exam table with her arms crossed tightly against her chest, surrounded by four stark white walls in an emergency room. A nurse and a doctor had been in the room minutes before, performing highly uncomfortable tests and exams, although everyone knew the answer. Ella stood by her head, one hand on her shoulder, the other lovingly running her fingers through her daughter's hair to soothe her. Aria's body trembled with each sob._

"_I want Ezra," she cried with her eyes shut. "I need Ezra." _

"_I know, honey, I know," Ella soothed, continuing to brush her fingers through her hair. "Shhhhh, calm down. Everything is going to be okay."_

"_No it's—no," Aria tried to reply, but was interrupted by her own tears, "No it's not. It's gone. It's gone." She shook her head. "It's gone." _

_It wasn't going to be okay. Her baby was dead before she knew it was alive. Her first baby was gone, before she got to hold it against her chest after its entrance into the world, before it called Ezra "Daddy" and her "Mommy." Before it even knew it had parents who would love it as much as they loved each other. She hated imagining the baby as an "it," but she knew once she assigned it a gender, or a name—the pain would only multiply. How selfish could she be, she continuously scolded herself, to not give her child a name? It would disappear from the world, nameless and unimportant to everyone but herself. _

"_Please let me call Ezra. Let him hold your hand through this, Aria," Ella pleaded. When Aria shook her head, she moved to Aria's side and leaned down to her daughter's level. "I love you, and you're strong enough to get through this." She picked up Aria's hand and squeezed it. "But he could help."_

_The mother-daughter moment was interrupted when the door opened behind them. An older, bald doctor walked in, focused on the clipboard in his hands. He moved his gaze to Aria and Ella; his face portrayed a look of sympathy, but Aria knew she meant little to the man, and it was only part of his job. How could something so life changing for her, be another day at work for someone else?_

"_Miss Montgomery," he greeted. He entered the room and placed the clipboard on the counter, then leaned against the edge of the sink. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but the tests confirm that you are pregnant, and experiencing a miscarriage," he carefully informed her. "The baby was not developing properly, and there's nothing we could have done to change that."_

_Ella looked at her daughter, who only nodded in response to the doctor's news as she stared at the white ceiling. She didn't feel like crying anymore. The energy was drained from her body; she was simply too numb to express any emotion. _

"_You were about seven weeks along," he continued, "and luckily you had a complete miscarriage, so we don't have to..." he trailed off, reluctance in his eyes as he looked at the young girl in front of him. "Your menstrual cycle should return to normal in about a month."_

_When Aria didn't respond, he turned to walk out of the room, but stopped before he did so. He turned around and hesitantly stood in front of Aria. "I know this is very hard to deal with, especially at your age, but eventually you are going to be okay." He looked between Ella and Aria. "I want you to know it's okay to be sad, it's okay to mourn for your __loss__, __but__ one day it's not going to hurt so much—and then it will be okay to be happy. Please remember that you're allowed to be happy."_

_Aria listened to the doctor, trying to imagine the day she could laugh again. She slowly turned her head and tried to smile. _

"_I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't go through something similar to what you are." The doctor returned her smile. "Remember to embrace those who make you happy."_

* * *

Aria hadn't been home—to her real home, at the house she grew up in—in some time. Not since the day after she lost the baby. Her father was quiet, too quiet, as if he were mad or disappointed in her. But why wouldn't he be? Why wouldn't he be disappointed that his only daughter got pregnant when he constantly told her to be careful?

Aria had been spending more time than usual at her mother's apartment, and while she preferred spending time with her mother rather than her father, she didn't feel like she was at home when she slept in the guest room. The only place she truly felt at home was at Ezra's apartment. Her own bed symbolized too much for her, and her father's distance was awkward and...hurtful.

On Monday night, Aria dropped her bags in front of Ezra's door while she searched for her key. Her stomach stirred; she didn't know what she was walking into—but she'd rather be here than her other options. The weekend away with the girls allowed her mind to escape the claustrophobic pain that surrounded her throughout the day—but when she returned home, so did the memories of the preceding weeks. She unzipped the front pocket of her large purse and pulled out the key, putting it in the lock. Strangely enough, she was excited to see Malcolm tonight. But when she stepped in, the apartment was eerily quiet.

Ezra lay on the bed with his hands folded behind his head, staring at the wall, evidently waiting for something—for her. His head turned to the sound of the door opening. "Hey," he greeted, patting the bed beside him. "Sit with me?"

Aria narrowed her eyes, looking around the small space in confusion. She fumbled with the bags in her arms. "Where's Malcolm?" She looked at Ezra and reached into the bag, pulling out a DVD copy of _Dolphin Tale. "_I brought some movies, candy, and popcorn to make up for the other night..."

Ezra brush his hand through his hair, squinting his eyes. "Well, you're going to have to hold off on that, because..." He climbed off the bed and approached Aria, taking her hands in his. "...he's not here tonight."

"Isn't tonight his night to be here?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"Yeah." Ezra lost eye contact with Aria and nodded his head. He released Aria's hands and scratched his neck. "But Maggie and I agreed that he should stay with her tonight."

"Why?" She crossed her arms, lowering her eyebrows.

Ezra exhaled a deep breath. "Because I need to help you, Aria, and for that to happen, you need to open up to me."

"Ezra—"

"Do you realize what I went through this weekend?" He looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you know how worried I was? There were times I thought you could be _dead._" He started pacing in front of her, putting both hands on his head. "Why are you willing to open up to your friends, but not to—" He stopped and shook his head. "—to the _father_ of the baby you lost, that _we _lost."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking at her feet. She lifted her head and allowed herself a weak smile. "Can I join you on the bed now?"

Ezra blinked and nodded, taking Aria's hand in his and leading her to the bed. He climbed on top of the comforter and put his arm around Aria's waist, bringing her down next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder; his arm wrapped around her body, pulling her as close as he could. After a few minutes, Aria finally signaled she was ready to open up by exhaling a long awaited breath.

"I was at home, in bed," she began, speaking in a soft tone, "it was 3 a.m., and something wasn't right."

Ezra looked down at Aria's face, watching her squeeze her eyes shut as she recalled the painful memories of _that _night. She bit her lip, leaving her eyes closed, snuggling further into the crook of his neck.

"It hurt Ezra, it hurt so much," she breathed. She gently placed her hand on top of Ezra's chest and rubbed the cotton of his t-shirt between her fingers. "I was bleeding, so my dad brought me to the hospital." She finally opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at Ezra. "I was seven weeks along." The creases of her mouth turned upwards ever so slightly. "I think our baby was conceived in the shower."

Ezra ignored Aria's attempt to lighten the mood. "Why didn't you call me?" He asked softly, carefully moving a few hairs out of Aria's eyes. "I wish I could've been there with you."

"No," Aria frowned and looked away again. "Because I was hoping I'd never have to tell you."

"Don't say that, Aria," Ezra sighed, looking Aria in the eye. "I'm not sure how we're going to get through this, but we will, and we will together, okay? Stop keeping things from me."

"Okay," Aria promised, her voice shaky and uncertain.

"Everything," he stressed. "We've been together for a year and a half, and it hurts me that you don't think I deserve to know things like this, especially when it affects me too."

Ezra didn't intend to sound defensive, or angry, but he was—he wanted to protect her, but he couldn't hide his own pain.

Aria's body tensed and leaned away from Ezra. "You think I hid it from you because I didn't think you _deserved to know_?" She raised her eyebrows, shaking her head. "I didn't tell you because I thought you deserved _more_ than this pain."

Ezra grabbed her shoulders and brought her body closer to his, looking her straight in the eyes. "We were both wrong." He kissed her forehead near her hairline.

Aria pulled away from Ezra's hold so she could pull the covers over their bodies. She snuggled into his arms again and twisted one leg between his, rubbing her foot against his. "Can we just be here and talk for the rest of the night?"

"Yeah," Ezra replied. His body sunk comfortably into the bed, his arm around Aria once more. "Can we start by making it a rule that one must contact their boyfriend or girlfriend when leaving for the weekend?"

"I didn't have to tell my girlfriend," Aria teased. "Spencer was with me." She bit her lip and smiled.

Ezra affectionately slid his hand underneath Aria's shirt, and when she wasn't expecting it, pinched the skin on her stomach, causing her to squeal.

"Okay, I'll tell my boyfriend, too," she giggled into his chest. "Love you."

"Love you more."

* * *

Aria postponed movie night with Malcolm to the following Friday, hoping he would forgive her for ruining their trip to the movies the week before. When she presented him with an armful of movie choices and enough candy and popcorn to fill his mouth with cavities, he quickly forgot the night he ran into the mall crying. Aria almost did too, but for her, the pain was much stronger than missing out on a movie before it started.

Aria and Ezra rested comfortably on the couch watching _Dolphin Tale_ with Malcolm between them. A large bowl of popcorn sat on the coffee table. Malcolm's hand was inside his bag of M&Ms, his mind focused on the movie as he threw a few pieces of candy into his mouth every so often. Needless to say, a story about a dolphin's journey to swim again was not Ezra's cup of tea, and he had fallen asleep halfway through, leaving only Aria and Malcolm awake by the end of the movie.

"My Dad told me why you are so sad, Aria," Malcolm told her as the credits rolled. "I'm sorry I was mean to you when you were sad."

Ezra had already warned Aria that Malcolm knew about the baby, so she was expecting questions at some point from the curious first-grader.

"It's okay, Malcolm." She put her arm around him and squeezed him. "I'm sorry I got in the way of your special night with your Dad."

"My mom has a new boyfriend." Malcolm scrunched up his nose in disapproval, changing the topic. "And he's not as nice or pretty as you."

Aria giggled, her cheeks reddening. "Maybe you just need to get to know him more," she suggested, although she doubted it herself, imagining a grown man trying to bond with Malcolm in order to impress Maggie.

"Not uh," Malcolm quickly shook his head. "He doesn't even like to play Legos, and he picks out stupid baby movies and toys for me. Why would I want a toy school bus, Aria?"

Aria smiled and got up from the couch, picking up _Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs _from her stack of DVDs on the coffee table. "Should we put in another movie?"

Malcolm nodded, and then paused. "Aria?"

Aria was crouched in front of the TV putting the disc in the DVD player. "Yeah Malcolm?" She stood up and grabbed the remote, turning it down a few notches so it wouldn't wake up Ezra.

"I don't want my mom's new boyfriend to be my other dad, but I want you to be my other mom," he admitted shyly, looking at his fidgeting hands. "If it makes you not sad anymore, you can be my other mom now." He looked up at Aria with a worried expression, waiting for her to respond.

Aria was somewhat shocked at Malcolm's offer, nonetheless, it warmed her heart. She was beginning to recover from the loss she experienced—but she never realized a 7-year-old boy would be such an instrumental piece to her happiness. The smile on her face was instantaneous.

"Come here, Malcolm," she instructed, holding her arms out.

Malcolm ran the few feet between them and held onto Aria's waist. She picked him up and balanced him on her hip, hugging him tightly in her arms. "You're just like your Dad, you know that?"

Malcolm's face lit up, his smile spreading across his face, because someone compared him to his newfound hero. For once, he was at eye-level with Aria. "And you love Dad," he stated confidently.

Aria turned to look at Ezra fast asleep on the couch, his arms crossed in front of him, a smile on his face. She loved when he smiled in his sleep, but it was even better when he laughed. "Very much."

She put Malcolm on his feet and he returned to the couch, sitting next to Ezra. Aria sat on the other side of the couch and put the large bowl of movie theater popcorn between them. Malcolm leaned against his father, and not even five minutes later, fell fast asleep.

Aria pulled her iPhone from her pocket and took a picture of the adorable scene in front of her, but realized a second too late that she kept the flash on as the harsh light filled the dark room. Ezra blinked a few time and looked around him, softly groaning that he was awake. He stretched his arms and looked down at his son sleeping on his lap.

"When did I fall asleep?" he whispered, carefully moving the boy from his lap and standing up. Malcolm's feet suddenly moved in his sleep, causing him to kick the bowl of popcorn onto the floor. The contents of the bowl scattered on the rug and coffee table.

"Ezra!" Aria quietly hissed. "Look what you did." She slid off the couch and kneeled on the floor, flipping the bowl right side up. Her hands quickly picked up the pieces of popcorn from the floor.

Ezra joined her, getting on his knees as well. "You don't have to pick it up, Aria. I got it."

"It's fine, Ezra," she told him, her eyes focused on the popcorn on the floor, "It'll get done faster with both—" Instant pain was felt in her skull as her forehead collided with his, both of them looking up and clutching their forehead.

"Ezra!" Aria pouted, her hand pressed against her head. "That hurt!"

Ezra's hand mirrored Aria's. "Um, it was my skull you crashed into?"

"You mean it was _my _skull _you _crashed into," she corrected him. She narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. The floor was still covered with popcorn.

"I'm sorry for crashing into your skull," he gave in, chuckling. "Do you want me to kiss it to make it feel better?"

Aria nodded, a pout remaining on her face. Ezra leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against her forehead, but he didn't stop there like she assumed he would—he pressed them against the tip of her nose, her cheek, and on her lips. When his lips reached her neck, he gently pushed her down onto the popcorn-covered floor, continuously sucking on her warm skin. Aria knew it was a terrible idea with Ezra's son only feet away, but she didn't stop him—she couldn't stop him, she didn't _want _to stop him.

"Ezra," she breathlessly moaned, reluctantly pulling away. "Malcolm is right there."

Ezra kissed her once more on the lips—or so he thought it would be once more. He climbed off of her and stood up, brushing the popcorn off his clothes. Aria got on her feet and did the same, but when she was done, she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around him, kissing him with all the passion she had in her small body. She slipped her tongue into his mouth...and he eagerly accepted it.

"Aria," he pulled away with some effort, "Aren't you the one that just said _Malcolm is right there_?" He put his hands under her thighs, supporting her body against his. He looked between Aria, and Malcolm sleeping on the couch, wondering _how deep _of a sleep he was in—or if it was deep _enough_. How could he even let himself have these thoughts? He shook his head. "This isn't a good idea."

Aria ignored him and returned her lips to his. "Yes, he's right there," she breathed seductively into his mouth, "but he's not over there." She nudged her head to the side, motioning towards the bed.

Ezra ignored his common sense and morals and dropped Aria onto the bed, lowering himself on top of her. "We are not taking our clothes off," he demanded breathlessly into her ear. "Got it?"

She smirked at Ezra, knowing they'd have to end this somehow, some way, now that they've started it. "If you say so," she replied before they resumed their make out session. A few moments later, she felt Ezra's hand inside her shirt, slowly moving higher towards her breasts. Her shirt ended up scrunched up near her neck, leaving her completely exposed. His hungry kisses left her lips and started moving down her body, quickly reaching her chest. Hypnotized by each other's bodies, Aria lifted herself up so Ezra could unclasp her bra, forgetting the rule they made ten minutes prior. Aria closed her eyes, lying on the bed in complete bliss, waiting to be touched again. Ezra was the only thing on her mind. Aria was the only thing on his.

Until they heard a footsteps.

The two of them snapped back to reality, both of their eyes widening immediately in response to their horrifying mistake. Aria pulled her shirt over her nearly exposed breasts in a panic; fortunately, her bra was unclasped but still covering her. Ezra rolled off her body, realizing his shirt had come off in the heat of their kisses. When Aria sat up, her bra fell to her lap beneath her shirt.

Malcolm rubbed his eyes as he leaned over the couch, his innocent eyes filled with obvious disgust and confusion. "What?" He didn't know why his father and girlfriend were so surprised to see him awake.

"Malcolm, when did you wake up?" Ezra glared at Aria, blaming the ordeal on her.

Aria rolled her eyes. "You started it," she mouthed. She discreetly took her bra out from under her shirt and placed it behind her where Malcolm could not see it.

"Is Aria okay?" Malcolm wondered. "Is she sad again?"

Both Aria and Ezra blushed, silently asking the other how to respond.

"Why would you say that, buddy?" Ezra asked, feeling around the bed for his shirt.

"Because I heard her say your name, and it sounded like she was sad or hurt," he pointed out, then twisted his lips into a sour face, "and you started kissing her to make her feel better."

Ezra brushed his fingers through his hair and moved his eyes to glance at Aria. "Yeah, I was trying to make her _feel better_," he told him, not lying in the slightest. He put his shirt back on.

"If you're going to kiss so much _in front of me_, why do you even bother going on vacation _without me_?"

Aria and Ezra quietly laughed. Aria moved next to Ezra and put her hand on top of his knee. She didn't move her eyes from Ezra's. "Because we kiss _a lot_ on vacation."

"I don't get grown ups," he groaned, falling back onto the couch. "You're weird and gross. I'd rather play fun games."

Ezra cleared his throat. "Malcolm, we like playing really _fun games_ too."

Aria's eyes widened and she slapped Ezra on the arm. Ezra shrugged, knowing that Malcolm wouldn't understand the joke for years to come anyway—what's the harm? He rubbed his arm where she slapped him. "Malcolm," he fake whined, "Aria slapped me."

Malcolm's head popped up from behind the couch again. "I know where her mom lives!"

"Don't worry Malcolm, I won't do it again," she reassured him, then breathed in Ezra's ear. "At least not when he's around."

Ezra suddenly had an intense desire to find a new apartment—with a separate bedroom.

* * *

Aria opened her eyes the next morning to find Ezra and Malcolm by the edge of the bed. Ezra leaned down and whispered to Malcolm, who nodded as he listened to his father. They were both out of their pajamas and fully dressed.

"She's awake," Malcolm informed him, pointing to Aria's face. She was clutching the bear Ezra had given her when she was sick against her chest, as she always did when she slept without Ezra.

Ezra sat on top of the bed near Aria, placing the hair that covered her eyes behind her ears. "Good morning." He bent down and kissed Aria on the lips.

"Morning," Aria replied sleepily as Ezra pulled away. Her arms reached above her head as she stretched her body. "What are you two whispering about?" She creased her eyebrows and looked between the two boys.

Ezra left Aria's side and walked into the kitchen, carefully retrieving a medium-sized box and bringing it back to Aria. He placed it on her lap. "Malcolm and I wanted to get you something."

Aria moved the flaps of the box to the side to find a small orange kitten staring at her. She gasped at the adorable creature in front of her. "Ezra—"

"Malcolm asked me if we could get a pet a few weeks ago because his mom is allergic to dogs and cats," he interjected. Malcolm nodded beside him. "She'll live with me, but I thought she'd make you and Malcolm happy when you're here..."

Aria's face dropped; something didn't feel right about the gesture, but she couldn't help but melt at the kitten who started to meow, waiting to be taken out of the box.

"I mean, I'm sure they'll take it back if you don't like cats, Aria." Ezra licked his lips and nervously shifted on his feet. "I thought that cute little face would make you happy."

Aria shook her head. "Of course I love her." She lifted the small kitten out of the box, holding her up in front of her face. "She's so cute." She placed the kitten on top of the blankets over her lap, petting the soft fur on its back.

Ezra sat next to her, taking his turn to pet the kitten. "Almost as cute as you."

Aria rolled her eyes at the cheesiness of Ezra's comment. She moved her eyes from the kitten to Ezra, smiling up at him. "Thank you—for everything." She continued to watch the kitten in awe as she found a comfortable place and snuggled into Aria's leg. "What's her name?"

"Bee."

"Bee?" she asked. "What kind of name is that? Like a bumblebee?"

Ezra sighed and scratched his head. "Or like B26." He frowned in disappointment, assuming Aria would have immediately picked up on the significance. "I didn't name her—but her name was a deciding factor behind why she came home with us today."

"It's perfect, then," she changed her mind, lightly kissing Ezra on the cheek.

"My mom's here!" Malcolm squealed from the window, where he watched Maggie park on the side of the street. He looked down and frowned. "And her boyfriend is with her. Ew."

Aria gently placed the kitten to the side of her and climbed out of bed, wearing one of Ezra's t-shirts that fell an inch above her knee. "I better put some pants on before we get a repeat of that one time."

Ezra helped Malcolm pack up his things when Maggie knocked on the door.

"I don't want to go with them," he whined. "He's weird."

"Shh," Ezra shushed him, his eyes shifting to the door. "You don't want them to hear you say that, Malcolm." He walked to the door and opened it, letting Maggie and her boyfriend into his apartment. The man was older than Maggie, at least in his 30s. It was Saturday morning and he wore dress pants and a button-up shirt. Ezra didn't blame Malcolm for feeling uncomfortable around the man.

"Ezra, I thought I'd introduce you to Andrew." She smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder.

The man stepped forward and put his hand out. "Nice to meet you Ezra. You have an awesome little dude there."

Aria cringed at the name "little dude" as she walked from the bathroom to the gathering in front of the door, holding Bee in her arms. Malcolm quickly hid behind her legs.

"Nice to meet you Andrew." He grabbed Aria's arm and pulled her forward. "This is Aria, the human, not the kitten," he joked.

"Hello Aria, are you Ezra's baby sister?"

Aria looked at Ezra and raised an eyebrow. She reached for his hand and interlaced their fingers. "I hope not, because this is my _boyfriend_."

Andrew's cheeks reddened. "Oh—oh of course, I'm sorry," he faltered, looking from Aria to Ezra. "You look very young for your age."

Aria sported a fake smile, clearly annoyed with the man—much like everyone else in the room, besides Maggie of course. He had the common sense of a cheap paper towel. The ones with designs on them that didn't absorb a thing. Aria smiled genuinely as she compared the man to what she used to clean Ezra's kitchen table.

"Did you have a good time, Malcolm?" Maggie asked, as she always did when she picked him up.

"Aria and I had a movie night, and Dad fell asleep right away," he laughed, looking at Ezra. "But then I fell asleep, and when I woke up, they were kissing on Dad's bed." He scrunched up his face as he did the night before. "Gross, right?"

Aria bit her lip, her hand still in Ezra's. "Malcolm..."

"It's okay, Aria," Maggie interrupted, trying to drop the subject. "It's really okay."

Ezra's squeezed Aria's hand and she looked at him obviously perplexed. He shrugged. Why didn't she leave in a rage? Why didn't she lecture her and Ezra on trust? And then it hit her in the pit of her stomach, bringing up the pain she had been trying to put to the side. She didn't want to be treated as the priceless, fragile glass that everyone tiptoed around, afraid that any sudden move would cause it to crash into pieces. That made her feel weak.

She was stronger than that.

* * *

**YAY PLL IS BACK SO SOON! **

**I know little about miscarriages, and although the internet did give me some information, I'm not claiming that my writing in the flashback is realistic. So, just go with it. **

**To the mean review: If you want to criticize my story, please do so respectfully. Why would I want to change **_**my**_** story to make **_**you **_**happy, when you obviously have no interest in how I feel? I try to be as realistic as possible, but eventually that gets old; otherwise we'd watch grass grow instead of indulging in fictional stories. If you don't like my writing, write your own "quality" story. I'm not a robot who will do whatever you please; I'm a person who has a brain and doesn't like when someone bullies me. By the way, thank you for the compliment. You know you're doing something right when someone cares enough to hate your writing. **

**Thank you for the kind reviews. You guys make me happy. PLEASE REVIEW ! ! ! Suggestions are great, too.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's some cotton candy with a side of gumdrops and kisses.**

* * *

Ezra rubbed his eyes after staring at his laptop screen for well over three hours. He leaned back in his desk chair and stretched his arms over his head. It was Sunday afternoon, but he had a pressing deadline on Tuesday that couldn't go ignored. Aria highly disliked these weekends, where she ended up watching him for hours on end as he furiously typed with a hypnotized look on his face. It was cute, but not cute enough.

"Taking a break?" Aria asked from the chair next to his desk. She put her book down on the table beside her.

"I probably shouldn't," he responded, still looking at the laptop screen. He leaned forward and placed his fingers back on the keys, ready to type as soon as he figured out _what _to type.

"Not even for a little kiss?" Aria pouted, standing up from the chair and walking over to the desk. She wrapped her arms around his back and lightly kissed him on the cheek, feeling his tough stubble against her skin.

Ezra smiled, but continued to type for a few seconds. Once he finished writing a sentence, he turned and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Aria tightened her embrace around his body, then took a deep breath. "You know that indoor carnival at the high school next weekend?" Ezra nodded. "You should come with me."

"Do you think that's a good—?" He stopped typing, noticing the sudden frown on Aria's face from the corner of his eye. He shifted his focus from the screen to Aria. "You know, that sounds like fun. Maybe we can bring Malcolm."

"Really?" Aria creased her eyebrows and released Ezra from her arms. "I thought I'd have to spend some time, uh, _convincing _you..."

Ezra laughed and returned his attention to his writing. "I don't know who you think I am."

Aria fell back into the chair again and picked up her book, opening to the page held by a bookmark. "You're a _man_."

* * *

Rosewood's annual winter carnival was held in the gym—but the space barely resembled the same location that sweaty basketball players occupied on game nights. Dark blue and purple paper covered the walls, decorated with snowflakes and snowmen. Several booths lined the walls; some featured typical carnival games, others sold food. A large, creepy fun house stood at the end of the gym. Loud music played throughout.

Ezra held Aria and Malcolm's hands as he walked through the entrance of the gym. He couldn't deny the anxiety he felt in his old workplace, where this would have been highly frowned upon only a year ago—in fact, he would've been fired and possibly even put in jail a year ago. Aria squeezed his hand in hers, and it took all of Ezra's strength to not let go and pretend he was nothing but her old teacher.

"You're nervous," she pointed out quietly, stopping to look at him. "You don't want to be here."

"I want to be here," he assured her, his eyes darting across the gym, "but I wonder what my former colleagues and students will think when I walk in holding the hand of my student."

Aria released her hand from his and crossed her arms. "Fine, then you don't have to hold my hand."

"Aria—"

"Ezra, it's so nice to see you!"

Ezra turned to find Mrs. Welch approaching him with a wide, friendly smile. She looked to the small boy attached to his hand, her face lighting up in adoration at Ezra's mini look-a-like.

"And who is this?"

Ezra took the hand that was holding Malcolm's and held it up. "This is my son, Malcolm."

Malcolm kept quiet; he only gave a shy smile to the strange woman infatuated with him.

"You never mentioned you had a son, Ezra," the woman wondered, a hint of confusion in her eyes. "He looks like your clone."

Aria slowly began backing away from the awkward encounter, realizing Ezra was right. She wanted to convince herself that she didn't care what her classmates and teachers thought, but being there was a different story. She could feel the judging eyes of everyone around her, all jumping to the same conclusion. The poor, desperate girl, and the older man preying on her vulnerability.

"Can I go play a game with Aria?" Malcolm whined to his father, who had been stuck in one of Mrs. Welch's long stories about—well, he wasn't sure, he wasn't really listening.

"Aria...?" the talkative woman asked. "As in, Aria Montgomery?"

Ezra nervously scratched the back of his neck and nodded, but wasn't sure if he should lie his way out of this one. Usually he loved Aria's beautiful, unique name, but that night he wished her name were Sarah or Mary.

"Hello, Aria," Mrs. Welch greeted rather suspiciously, noticing her behind Ezra. "Ezra, why are you at this carnival, anyway...?"

Ezra looked between Aria and Mrs. Welch and cleared his throat. "Uh, Aria wanted me to come, and I thought Malcolm would enjoy it."

"Oh? You two keep in touch?" She raised an eyebrow.

Ezra sighed and looked to Aria for assistance, who was too frozen to speak up. He returned his focus to Mrs. Welch. "Aria's my—my girlfriend...now," he reluctantly confessed. His gaze immediately hit the floor.

Mrs. Welch narrowed her lips and crossed her arms. "Does Ella know this?"

Ezra nodded. "Yes, yes she does."

"And she's okay with it?"

"She is...now."

"Well, I guess this isn't my place to get involved." Her eyes inspected the scene in front of her, looking between Aria, Ezra and Malcolm. She slowly shook her head in disapproval and walked away.

"Let's just go home," Aria told him. She felt defeated; she let Mrs. Welch's opinion get to her, and she was afraid it was only going to be a preview of what was to come.

"No, we're not going home." Ezra grabbed her hand again, proudly walking further into the gym with his son and girlfriend. "We're here and we're going to have fun with Malcolm, together, as a _normal_ couple."

Aria smiled at Ezra, her eyes lighting up. "Okay."

"Hey Aria...Ezra," Spencer called, waving them over. She was standing in front of a booth with Toby and Emily. "Hi Malcolm! I'm so glad you could come tonight." She bent down in front of the boy. "We're a team, remember?"

Malcolm nodded and smiled. "What kind of team?"

"The _best _team," Spencer replied, ruffling his hair.

Aria noticed that Toby seemed rather confused at the little boy conversing with Spencer. Aria seldom spent time with Ezra and her friends at the same time, and she definitely never brought the girls' significant others into the equation. Ezra never agreed to it. He could only handle hanging out with one 17-year-old at a time, he always told her.

"This is Malcolm," Aria announced, motioning to Malcolm. "Ezra's...son."

"Hey buddy, I'm Toby. Have you played any games yet?"

"Why don't you, Malcolm, and Toby play some games?" Aria suggested, looking at Ezra. "And get me some cotton candy."

"Okay, boss." Ezra playfully saluted to Aria and grabbed Malcolm's hand and walked away with Toby. Aria knew she'd hear from Ezra later about why she felt it necessary to put the two of them in such an awkward situation.

"So," Emily began once the boys were out of earshot, "How weird is it to be here with Ezra _and_ Malcolm?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"You just sent them off to play games and you got here, what, ten minutes ago?" Spencer pointed out.

Aria sighed and nodded. "It's really weird."

Emily smiled sympathetically. "Well, if it's any consolation, I think you three look like a cute little family."

Spencer elbowed Emily in the side with her elbow, and Emily quickly realized her mistake in the words meant to comfort Aria.

"You don't have to be like that, guys," Aria complained. "It makes me feel weak and powerless when you treat me like I'm made of glass."

Emily and Spencer were silent, for they didn't know how to reply. Aria knew the girls had been tiptoeing around the subject since the weekend at the lake house—but it only made everything worse.

"Here's your cotton candy, Aria." Ezra returned holding a stick of pink and blue cotton candy and handed it to Aria. "But I may steal some from you."

"Get your own," Aria teased. She picked a small handful from the stick and put it in her mouth. Ezra tried to bite a piece off, but Aria pulled it away from his reach. "You thought I was joking?"

Ezra frowned. "I'm the one who bought it."

Aria picked some more cotton candy from her stick and slipped it into Ezra's mouth, who quickly accepted it. "Happy?"

Ezra swallowed and licked his lips. "Very." He leaned forward and quickly kissed Aria on the lips. "Thank you."

"Hey, why don't we go to the funhouse together?" Toby suggested to the group, pointing to the end of the gym.

"You guys go ahead, I don't think Malcolm would enjoy that." Ezra looked at Aria and smiled. "But you go have fun."

"I can stay with Malcolm, if you want," Spencer immediately volunteered without hesitation. "I'm not too fond of funhouses after being locked in one last year."

* * *

Aria entered the funhouse before Ezra, running into the dimly lit maze of distorted mirrors. "Try to find me," she yelled to him before quickly disappearing.

"Seriously," Ezra muttered under his breath, looking around for his girlfriend. He squinted his eyes and made his way around the dark funhouse. "Aria?" After five minutes he turned a corner and found her, but she quickly darted around another mirror. As he followed her, he felt small arms wrap around his waist.

"I found you," she whispered, then pointed to a mirror that distorted Ezra's midsection. "And Mr. Fitz, looks like you ate a little _too much_ cotton candy."

He turned around and smiled. "How is that possible when you only left one bite for me?"

"Don't worry, it looks like it went straight to my ass." She pointed to herself in the mirror, which seemed to accentuate her hips.

"Your ass is perfect."

"And this room is very dark." Aria looked around them. She also noticed they were alone.

"Indeed, it is," Ezra agreed. He cleared his throat. "Why did you say that?"

Aria smiled and looked into his eyes. She put her arms around his neck, playing with the small hairs under his shirt. "Just an observation."

Ezra grinned and ran his hands up and down Aria's arms. "I don't believe that." He picked Aria up and she tightly wrapped her legs around his waist. He stepped back and steadied the two of them against a mirror as she forced her tongue into his mouth in a passionate kiss. Ezra slightly pulled away. "I can taste cotton candy," he breathed into her mouth.

And then Aria discovered they weren't alone.

"I don't think that's the type of fun they meant when they named this thing," Toby said from behind them.

Aria unwrapped her legs from Ezra's waist and and slid down to the ground. She gave Ezra an apologetic look. "I guess he's right."

Ezra blushed. This wasn't the first impression he wanted to make in front of Spencer's boyfriend. "We should probably relieve Spencer of her babysitting duties."

The four of them left the funhouse and found Spencer helping Malcolm play a game of ring toss. Malcolm's face concentrated at the rings in his hands as he threw them behind the counter. He frowned as he watched each of them fall to the ground. Spencer pointed to the quickly approaching Aria and Ezra, and Malcolm immediately forgot about his failure.

"You're finally back!" Malcolm grabbed Aria and Ezra's hands and dragged them across the gym. "This way!" he squealed, innocent excitement being the only strength he needed to convince the two. Aria looked at Ezra with a questioning glance; Ezra responded with a shrug. Malcolm stopped in front of a photo booth, pointing to the curtain that covered the door. "Can we do this? All of us?" he asked, his eyes pleading with desperation.

"Of course, buddy." Ezra took Aria's hand and led them inside, the two of them sitting with their thighs touching. When they were situated, Ezra lifted Malcolm onto his lap and closed the curtain.

"Okay, what do we do now?" Ezra mumbled to himself, pressing a few buttons. The screen turned on, instructing the three of them where to look.

"Silly faces!" Malcolm directed, and Aria and Ezra followed. Aria sported a surprised face, her mouth wide open, while Ezra raised one eyebrow and twisted his lips. Malcolm stuck his tongue out.

After taking two more photos—one of them smiling normally, another making angry faces—the machine counted down from three once more. At the last second, Ezra leaned over and pressed an obnoxiously forceful kiss on Aria's cheek, pressing her cheek against the wall of the machine. She let out a small scream.

Malcolm started giggling, and seconds later, ran out to find their photo strip.

The two of them were alone in the rather dark photo booth while Malcolm waited outside. Ezra glanced at Aria with a hint of mischief, a smirk appearing on his lips. They didn't have an unstable mirror to interrupt them in here.

"Where's your dad and Aria?" they heard Spencer ask outside of the booth.

Aria poked her head out of the curtain. "Can you watch him for a minute again?"

Spencer raised her eyebrows, her forehead wrinkling. "And what will be happening during this minute?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Emily told me what happened in the funhouse."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Please, Spence?"

"Sure, but don't do anything stupid," Spencer sighed. "Ezra may not be your teacher anymore, but you still shouldn't flaunt your relationship to the entire faculty."

"Thank you," Aria responded, then quickly shut the curtain. "Shall we finish where we left off in the funhouse?"

"Can we just take some pictures?" Ezra leaned forward, pressing the button on the machine. Aria rested her head on Ezra's shoulder and smiled into the camera.

"Wait, turn your head and press your nose against mine," Ezra told her, already in position.

"That is extremely lame," Aria laughed, but did so anyway. Her nose was against Ezra's, both of them looking into each other's eyes as the flash went off.

Before they could contemplate what they were doing, or where they were, their lips met and the innocent moment turned into a heated, passionate kiss, that lasted long after the final flash lit up the small booth. Aria was straddling Ezra when the curtain suddenly opened, forcing them to break apart again, panting from their spontaneous make out session.

"Looks like I interrupted this just in time," Noel announced, a sinister tone behind his voice. He waved the photo strip in front of them. "I wonder if I could show this to anyone." He turned and pretended to look around the gym.

Aria climbed off Ezra's lap and out of the photo booth, standing confidently in front of Noel. "That's mine, Noel." She tried to take it from him, but he held it too high for her reach.

"I thought I recognized the tongue in your teacher's mouth." He examined the photo in his hand. "It used to be in mine at one point—until you cheated on me with a pedophile."

Aria gave up and started to walk away, but Noel wasn't finished talking. "I told you I wasn't going to give up until everyone knows what you're doing with your teacher after school," he called after her. He looked at Ezra. "I heard you knocked her up. Looks like I won't have to tell anyone, after all. You did it for me."

At this, Aria continued walking and didn't stop, not when she reached Spencer and Malcolm fifteen feet away, not when she got to the end of the gym. How did Noel know about the pregnancy? Who else knew?

Spencer grabbed Malcolm's arm and approached Noel and Ezra; her face was plastered with anger and determination.

"What did you do to her, Noel?" Spencer demanded.

"I think you should be asking Mr. Fitz that." He lifted his eyebrows and grinned.

Ezra quickly grabbed the photo out of Noel's hand and shoved it in his pocket. "You're right Noel, but you won't get what you want, because she lost the baby," he seethed through gritted teeth. "I'm not sure what your goal is, but I refuse to let you hurt her again."

* * *

Spencer agreed to distract Malcolm while Ezra exited the gym and walked quickly through the the halls of Rosewood High, a building that was once quite familiar to him. The walls lined with lockers forced him to remember the early months of his and Aria's relationship, of the times he felt like a teenage boy when he caught her smiling across the hall. A dim light escaped through his old classroom door, informing him that his assumption was likely correct. He quietly pushed the door open and found Aria sitting one row over from the windows, her chin cradled in the palm of her hand, staring at the board in the front of the classroom.

Aria didn't turn her head, but she knew he was there. She expected him to instinctively go back to the room that held a lifetime of meaning for them. The room where they decided that their relationship was worth the risk, the reason why they had fought so hard and come so far.

He sat one desk in front of her, turning his body to look in her eyes. He gave her a small smile, unaware of the depth or darkness of the thoughts in her mind. She allowed herself to smile weakly in return, the creases of her mouth hardly turning upwards.

"Hi," he said, almost whispering

"Hi," she replied.

Ezra gently grabbed her hand from under her chin and held it on top of the desk, loosely interlacing their fingers. "Do you want to talk?"

"Sure." She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Can we send Noel to Mars?" Her smile grew a little.

Ezra chuckled. "I think that sounds like a _great_ idea," he agreed, ending with a wink. "Should we go home?"

Aria hesitated, staring at their interlaced fingers. She returned her eyes to his. "Do you ever miss being here?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "I miss seeing you for ninety minutes every day, watching you twirl your hair around your finger, or finding you fascinated by your own sequin-adorned shoes." He couldn't stop the smile that covered his face. "Those were my favorite ninety minutes of the day."

Aria let out a short laugh. "Why would you even notice things like that?"

"Because the other students weren't as beautiful as you," he told her, trying to get her to smile—although his words were far from a lie.

Aria's cheeks turned a soft, pink color as her smile widened. She slid off her seat and stood up. Ezra did the same, and was about to leave through the door he entered.

"Wait," Aria stopped him, grabbing his arm and forcing him to turn around. "Can we—can we stay for a minute? I could use a hug." Her eyes looked around the classroom, at the empty rows of desks usually occupied by students during the day—like the vile, sinister Noel. "No, I _need_ a hug."

He didn't wait a second more before he took his girlfriend in his arms, pressing her head into his chest and holding her. She wrapped her arms around his protective body, closing her eyes and enjoying the familiar safety of his embrace. He pressed his lips against the top of her head, then rested his head on hers. They remained like that for minutes, not saying a word; the only sound was their silent breathing and the obnoxious chatter of the carnival crowd in the far distance.

* * *

Sleep didn't come easily that night for Aria—in fact, she wasn't sure it came at all. Even with Ezra's arms wrapped around her body, her mind refused to stop its constant nagging. Her eyes shifted to the alarm clock on Ezra's nightstand, watching the night turn into morning, and yet her brain had yet to fall asleep. Whenever she thought she was moving passed the loss she experienced, someone would remind her that she shouldn't. And tonight that was Noel Kahn.

At 6:30 a.m., Aria decided she had enough. She untangled herself from Ezra's hold and tried to slip out of bed, but Ezra's arm instinctively wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against his chest.

"Stay with me," he mumbled sleepily into her hair, "a few more minutes."

Aria struggled to move his arm. "I was going to make breakfast."

"Mm-mmm." Ezra didn't let go, kissing her bare shoulder. "I know you've been awake all night."

"Ezra, let me go so I can get out of bed," Aria sighed in irritation. "Then you can sleep in peace."

Ezra's eyes didn't open; his arms didn't move. "The only way I'll sleep in peace is if I'm holding you," he told her. "Mmmmnight."

They both fell asleep within seconds.

The bed sank next to Aria, waking her out of her deep sleep. She opened her eyes to find Ezra's navy blue boxers sitting beside her. Bee purred from Ezra's arms as he rubbed behind the kitten's ears.

"Good morning." He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I guess you made up for the sleep you didn't get last night?"

Aria blinked her eyes repeatedly and looked at the clock until it came into focus, noticing it was after noon.

"I guess I did," she replied. She sat up next to Ezra and put her hand on his shoulder, rubbing the material of his gray t-shirt. "Where's Malcolm?"

"Maggie picked him up a couple hours ago," he said, then hesitated. "So, I was reading the paper, and there's a half marathon in Philly this summer, and I was thinking about doing it." Ezra looked at Aria, nervously waiting for her approval.

"That's great, Ezra," Aria smiled.

He nodded, licking his lips. "I thought it would be fun if _we_ did it—together."

Aria fell back onto the bed and groaned. She had enough of it. She had enough of everyone pitying her, trying to push her. "Stop, Ezra." She covered herself in the blanket again, pulling it up to her chin. "Just stop."

Ezra lowered his eyebrows. "Stop what?" He placed Bee on the floor and focused on his girlfriend.

Aria sat up again and narrowed her eyes. "You're trying to make me forget!" she shouted angrily, her voice steadily increasing in volume. "The expensive dress, Bee, agreeing to go to that stupid carnival." She looked him directly in the eye. "I don't _want_ to forget."

"Aria—"

"Yes, I know, we will have more children one day—_everyone _keeps telling me that." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "But they won't replace the one we lost, Ezra. I don't want to forget." She lay down on her side and bit the insides of her cheeks, trying to suppress the tears. "I refuse," she whimpered. She closed her eyes as the tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I don't want to forget either," Ezra told her, laying down beside her. "_Let's run it for our baby._" He spoke softly, his face inches from hers. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "_In memory of our first baby._"

Aria slowly opened her eyes and gave him a small smile.

"What do you say?"

Aria pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "I'll need to buy my first pair of sneakers."

"I'll take that as a yes," he teased, kissing her playfully on the tip of her nose.

* * *

**Holy shit you wonderful people, I broke my record for reviews last chapter. You deserve 50 sticks of cotton candy.**

**I don't know why but this chapter took me _forever _to write, and it's pretty short. I had the beginning and end written for days and finally filled in the middle. For those of you who follow me on Twitter, I'm sorry I kept delaying it.**

**As you may have noticed, I sometimes base scenes on actual scenes that have happened on the show. The opening scene may be a little more obvious than usual, but I thought it was cute on the show, so...**

**Toby is not on the A team in this story. And Byron isn't a creep.**

**Thank you for reading and PLEASE REVIEW ! ! ! !**

**P.S. There are way too many kisses in this chapter.**


	17. Chapter 17

"Time to get up, Aria!" Ezra's voice boomed throughout the small apartment.

Aria opened her eyes but quickly shut them as a harsh light filled the room. She tugged the blanket over her head and groaned. "The sun isn't even up, why are you? Turn the light off."

"If I turn it off, you'll fall back asleep." Ezra sat beside her on the edge of the bed and pulled the blanket from her face, revealing a highly irritated Aria. She turned and lay on her stomach, her head face down on the pillow.

"That's the point, Ezra," her voice muffled.

"We need to get our morning run in before you go to school, so get up." Ezra's persistent voice increased in volume. He didn't plan on giving up this morning—even though it was barely five a.m. The afternoon before, Ezra bought Aria a new pair of expensive running sneakers, and he was going to make sure she used them.

"Why can't we start tomorrow?" Aria asked, slowly drifting back to sleep.

"It's like going on a diet," Ezra told her, "You can start now, or you can put it off every day."

"I've never been on a diet."

"That's not the point." Ezra put his hand on Aria's back and gently rubbed it, his fingers moving up and down the blanket covering her body. "But we _are_ going to have to limit our Chinese food."

"You didn't say _tha_t was part of the training," Aria accused, her voice still muffled from the pillow. She wasn't planning on giving up this morning, either. Or her precious takeout.

Which meant Ezra had to resort to extreme tactics. He sighed and climbed on top of Aria with his arms and legs on either side of her, the weight of his larger body against hers. He moved her hair from in front of her ear and leaned close. "I'm not moving until you agree to get up," he whispered.

Aria moved her head to the side, the creases of her mouth rising. "You're welcome to stay there as long as you want, but it might be counter-productive." She raised her eyebrows.

Ezra moved to the side of Aria and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her close. "Please?" He kissed her softly on the lips, trying a different tactic—that of large puppy eyes. "For your boyfriend who got up at the crack of dawn even though he works at home?"

Aria sighed loudly, her breath lightly blowing against Ezra's face. "You're not making this easy." She brushed her fingers through his hair, her eyes not leaving his, until Ezra sat up and climbed off the bed, leaving her in a pout. He stood in front of Aria, wearing navy blue shorts and a grey Hollis sweatshirt. Aria turned her body to look at him.

"Giving up?" Aria smirked.

"Nope." Ezra stood at the bottom of the bed and ripped the blanket from Aria's body.

"Ezra!" Aria's angry scream filled the room—and by this point, she was wide awake. And rather cold, only wearing one of Ezra's t-shirts, per usual.

Ezra moved to the side of the bed and stood over her, leaving her wondering his next move. He reached down and put his arms around her waist before dragging her from the bed, placing her reluctant body on the floor. "Get dressed," he ordered.

She remained standing there and crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes in a standoff against her boyfriend. "Fine."

Ezra smiled and carefully approached his small, angry—but quite adorable—girlfriend. He wrapped his arms around her body. "I'm proud of you."

* * *

"You're not allowed to run off without me," Aria demanded as they walked out of his apartment. She had changed into a pair of black pants and a light blue jacket, as it was only the beginning of February. Ezra instructed her on how to stretch, and by 5:30, they were leaving his apartment.

"I'd never do that," he assured her, reaching to squeeze her hand.

Aria gave him a small smile in return, then looked down and bit her lip.

"What?" Ezra lowered his eyebrows.

Aria quietly laughed. "You're really cute at 5:30 in the morning."

Ezra rolled his eyes, then released Aria's hand. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," she answered.

Ezra opened the door to the building, holding it open for Aria.

"I can't believe you convinced me to go running before the sun is even up," Aria muttered, stepping onto the sidewalk.

"Alright, we'll start out easy today with a light jog," he instructed, his feet picking up the pace on the sidewalk. "Sound good?"

Aria nodded and jogged alongside him, her short legs attempting to keep up with the experienced runner. "This is not a jog! This is a sprint!"

Ezra slowed down, knowing that this was definitely a jog—and now it was more like a fast walk. But they had to start somewhere if they wanted to get anywhere, and he was willing to do so for Aria.

* * *

Aria dragged her body into Ezra's apartment and immediately collapsed onto the bed. She unzipped her jacket and ripped it from her body, dropping it onto the floor beside her. She closed her eyes, her chest noticeably rising and falling, her body still trying to recover from their morning run.

"How long is—is a half marathon?" Aria asked between breaths, her eyes still closed. Her forehead glistened in sweat with wet strands of hair glued to her skin.

"About thirteen miles," Ezra answered from the doorway. He pulled his sweatshirt over his head and draped it over the back of a chair.

"How many miles did—did we just run?"

"Three..." Ezra sat next to her on the bed, smiling down at his exhausted girlfriend sprawled across the sheets.

"You're lying."

"It'll get easier as your body gets used to it," he comforted her, running his hand up and down her forearm.

"You hate me, don't you?"

"No," Ezra answered without thinking twice. He bent down and pressed his lips against her shoulder. "I'm doing this because _I really love you_ and want you to be happy."

Aria opened her eyes and smiled, finally having caught her breath. "You do a pretty good job at that, Mr. Fitz."

"You're not so bad yourself, Miss Montgomery."

Aria sighed and closed her eyes again. "I need to take a shower, but I'm not sure I'll make it all the way," she pointed to the bathroom door a few feet away, "over there." She slowly lifted herself up from the bed into a sitting position, leaning back on her elbows.

"You can do it," Ezra told her with confidence. He stood up and walked over to his dresser, opening his drawers. "I'm taking one after you."

Aria groaned and managed to swing her legs off the bed and stand up. She slowly moved towards the bathroom, but stopped when she reached Ezra in front of his dresser. Noticing her presence, he looked down at her. "Thank you," she mumbled, giving him a small smile.

Ezra nodded. "Anything for you."

She turned into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. After she turned the shower on, she undressed herself and carefully stepped into the shower, feeling the warm water wash the sweat from her body. As she was about to pick up a shampoo bottle, she heard the bathroom door open.

"Aria?" Ezra called to her over the sound of the shower. "Maggie asked if I could pick up Malcolm from karate today, do you want to come with me?"

"Sure," Aria replied. "I'll come here right after school."

Aria then heard Ezra clear his throat. She turned and found Ezra peeking in the shower. "Do you want me to join you?"

"Ezra!" Aria screamed, shutting the shower curtain in front of his face. "Not—not now." Her voice turned to a slight whimper.

Ezra backed away until he reached the door. "I'll be out there," he told her, a hint of pain in his voice. The door opened and closed.

Aria continued to wash her hair, but as she did so, tears started to trickle down her cheeks. She didn't mean to be so harsh—he was only trying to make her smile, and she knew that. As ridiculous as it seemed, this shower, this stupid bathtub, was a painful symbol of what they lost—and she wasn't ready to face the reality of possibly losing something so valuable again.

They hadn't made love in weeks; in truth, it had been nearly a month. Neither of them discussed this fact, and both of them knew why. Ezra wasn't going to push it until he knew he had to. Not because he _needed _the sex by any means—but because he didn't want Aria to be so afraid. And it killed him to know it was his fault.

Aria turned the shower off and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped herself in Ezra's robe that he had left in the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Despite the warm water running down her cheeks, it was more than evident that she had been crying. She took a deep breath and exited the bathroom, expecting Ezra to question her red cheeks or discuss what happened minutes before.

But he didn't. And she wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved.

"That robe looks much better on you," he told her from the kitchen as he poured a glass of orange juice. She sat down at the kitchen table where he put the glass down.

"Where's my coffee?"

"Orange juice is better for you," he pointed out, then leaned down and kissed her tear-stained cheek. "But I'll make some right now."

"Good, because there's no way I'm getting up at 5 a.m. again if you're going to deprive me of caffeine."

Ezra chuckled and turned the coffee maker on, knowing that whether she had coffee would make little difference in their morning routine; he'd likely have to sit on her every morning like he did today.

And he was willing to do so whenever he imagined the finish line in June.

* * *

"I'm officially going to Danby," Emily announced at lunch. She placed her tray on the table and sat down on one of the hard plastic chairs. She looked to her three friends for a reaction.

"Doesn't it feel great to finally put that daunting decision behind you?" Spencer asked, breathing a sigh of relief. "I sent in my acceptance to UPenn last night."

Aria'a eyes remained on her salad, mindlessly moving a tomato with her was hoping they'd quickly transition to a much more casual conversation, like who murdered Ali or where A planned on striking next.

"What about you, Aria?" Hanna looked at Aria, as did the other two a moment later. Everyone stopped chewing as they waited for her answer.

"Hmm?" Aria looked up from her salad, pretending to have not been paying attention, which was precisely the opposite of what she was doing.

"College?" Hanna repeated.

"I don't know yet," Aria muttered under her breath, knowing overachieving Spencer would not be thrilled in the slightest.

"Aria, most colleges require an answer by March," Spencer told her—as if Aria didn't already know. But she definitely did.

"With everything going on with me and Ezra, Malcolm and then..." Aria sighed and pushed her salad in front of her. She wasn't eating today. "I feel queasy even thinking about bringing up where I'm going to college."

"Does that mean you know where you're going?" Emily wondered.

"No, because I don't know how to make a decision." Aria put her palms on her lap, nervously smoothing out the material of her skirt.

"What do you mean?" Hanna asked, creasing her eyebrows.

"Is it right to base my decision on my boyfriend?" It was the one question that haunted her. Ezra told her not too, but of course he would—he'd never tell her to stay for him. "He has a kid, so if I leave, he's not coming with me. But if I stay with him, I'll never know if it was the right answer. I'll never know what else is out there."

The three girls looked to each other across the table—they didn't have the answer either; they were battling similar dilemmas weeks before, but they were easily solved without children or careers or ex-girlfriends or psychotic future mother-in-laws in the mix. Emily was the first to speak up.

"Try to take Ezra out of the equation and decide where you really want to be," she began, placing a comforting hand on Aria's arm. "And if ends up being far from Rosewood, _then _decide if you want to be there more than you want to be with Ezra."

"That's the problem, guys," Aria sighed in annoyance. "Of course I'll choose Ezra now, but what if 23-year-old Aria looks back and _doesn't _choose Ezra?"

Spencer tried to hold back the laugh that escaped from her lips, but it was too late. Aria whipped her head to glare at Spencer. "Did you just laugh?"

"Twenty-three-year-old Spencer regrets laughing," she teased. She crossed her arms on top of the table; the smile on her face was replaced with a more serious expression. "Look, you two are practically married, so basing part of your decision on Ezra—_and _Malcolm—is not the same as the 17-year-old girl deciding to go to community college," she pointed to the airhead football player across the cafeteria, "to stay close to her cheating football player boyfriend with no goals but _football."_

* * *

Aria sat in the passenger seat of Ezra's car on their way to Delaware to pick up Malcolm and his friend Danny from karate, an activity the boys participated in every Monday. Aria fell asleep only minutes in to the thirty-minute ride, and Ezra enjoyed listening to her quiet snores. He had even turned the radio off, smiling to himself the entire way there as she loudly breathed in and out. He strangely loved this about her.

He pulled into the small building and turned the car off before gently waking Aria up. "Hmm?" she mumbled sleepily, slowly opening her eyes and taking in her surroundings. "That was," she yawned, "quick."

"No," he leaned forward over the center console and kissed her on the lips, "you fell asleep before we even left Rosewood." He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen. "He still has twenty minutes left, can we go in and watch?"

Aria nodded and stretched her arms and legs. "Sure."

The two of them got out of the car—Aria was much slower than Ezra, as she was still sore from the morning run. They met in front of the car and Ezra grabbed her hand before they walked into the building. The cramped waiting area was filled with impatient parents and children, some running around and screaming in their uniforms. A window looked into the room where Malcolm and other children sat on a large blue mat and watched their instructor and one of the students.

Ezra found a small space by the window and led Aria across the room, leaning against the wall. Malcolm was next; the small boy stood next to his instructor and tried to follow his moves. Aria moved her eyes from Malcolm to Ezra, watching the adoration on the young father's face. Even after a few months, it was both odd and wonderful to see this light in Ezra's eyes—although she couldn't deny the jealousy she felt in the pit of her stomach. Malcolm wasn't theirs. Malcolm belonged to Maggie and Ezra.

"Did you ever do karate when you were a kid?" Aria asked quietly, trying not to interrupt Ezra's concentration as Malcolm perfected a kick.

"Nope," Ezra answered, his eyes not leaving the window. "He definitely does not take after me in this department."

Aria giggled. "He takes after you in a lot of ways."

"Like what?"

"He cares about people, and always wants to make them happy," she turned to look at Ezra, "and he has the most determination I've ever seen in a first-grader."

"You're right." He turned to look at Aria. "He must get his determination from me, because I managed to get _you_ out of bed this morning."

Aria rolled her eyes, but remained smiling. "You both have beautiful eyes that I can't say no to."

"Indeed," Ezra nodded, putting an arm around Aria and holding her close. "But not nearly as beautiful as yours."

A moment later, the door flew open and a stream of children from the ages of five to eight exited the room. When Malcolm saw his father and Aria, his face lit up. He ran towards them. "Dad! Aria!"

"You did great, buddy!" Ezra bent down to Malcolm's height. "I'm so glad I got to see you today."

"Thank you," Malcolm replied. "Can you bring me and Danny to the playground before you take us home?" he pleaded, staring up at Ezra with the same eyes Aria had just mentioned. "Please?"

Ezra put his hand on Malcolm's head and ruffled his hair. "Sure, why not?"

Once the four of them managed to escape the crowd in the lobby of the karate place, they got back into Ezra's car and headed to the playground outside Malcolm's elementary school. Danny was Malcolm's age, and almost as adorable, but he had light blonde hair.

"Don't you like my dad?" Malcolm whispered to Danny, but loud enough for Aria and Ezra to hear in the front seat. Aria bit her lip and smiled at Ezra.

Danny simply nodded. Ezra was just Malcolm's dad, there wasn't much else to it. Danny always had a dad. What's so interesting about a _dad_? But to Malcolm, having a dad was everything—because he didn't have one for seven years.

"Aria's his _girlfriend,_" Malcolm whispered, and the two boys erupted into a fit of giggles. "They kiss a lot!" Their whispers started to get louder, ignorant to the fact both Aria and Ezra could hear them.

Danny scrunched up his face. "Ewww!"

"Are you two telling secrets back there?" Ezra smiled, looking at the two boys in the rearview window. He raised in eyebrow in fake irritation.

"No!" they said in unison, and continued to giggle.

Ezra pulled into the parking lot in front of the playground, and unlocked the doors. The boys unbuckled their seat belts and opened the doors, quickly running across the empty parking lot and to the gates.

"Don't run in the parking lot, please," Aria called after them as they ran up the steps of the large multi-colored plastic structure.

Ezra pointed to a bench inside the fenced-in playground. "Should we watch from there?"

"Sure." Ezra took her hand and they walked to the bench; Aria quickly realized how cold it was—especially now that they weren't running and working up a sweat like they had in the morning. "How can they ignore how freezing it is?" She rubbed her arms and shivered.

"Because they're kids." Ezra sat down on the bench, motioning for Aria to sit next to him. "If they're having fun, they could be in Antarctica in t-shirts."

Aria snuggled into Ezra's side on the bench as she watched the two boys chase each other across the playground and race down adjacent slides. Ezra quickly leaned away from her and unzipped his navy hoodie, pulling his arms out of the sleeves.

"What are you doing?" she asked, but before he could answer, he put it around her shoulders.

"You're cold," he simply said.

"Thank you." She kissed Ezra on the cheek, then put her arms through the sleeves of his hoodie and zipped it up. She was swimming in the large size of it, but she didn't care; it held both Ezra's smell and his lingering body heat, and she was in bliss as she snuggled against him. He put his arm around her and held her tight against his side.

"Why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Ezra asked her, looking down at her infectious smile.

"Because maybe one day we'll get to do this with our children," she admitted, looking into Ezra's eyes. The creases of her smile suddenly faded. "Hopefully."

"I wouldn't want anything else," he assured her, then reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a small rectangular box. "Speaking of which, I got you this today when you were at school." He opened it, revealing a silver necklace with a small guardian angel. "I'm so proud of how strong you've been recently, and, well, we're not going to forget, but..."

He didn't have to tell her what it symbolized; she already knew. "Ezra, it's beautiful," she breathed. He took it out of the box and unclasped it. Aria turned around and allowed him to put it around her neck. When she turned to face him, he noticed her eyes had welled up with tears, but these tears were different from the ones he'd witnessed many times in recent weeks. These tears were filled with hope, and even some happiness. "Thank you."

Ezra nodded and bit his lip, taking Aria back into his arms. The boys continued to scream happily across the playground—and Aria didn't feel so cold anymore.

* * *

Ezra had dropped Danny off and was on his way to Maggie's house. Aria struggled to stay awake in the passenger seat while Malcolm couldn't stop talking about some game he learned in gym class. She wasn't paying much attention; she couldn't wait to be in Ezra's bed, curled up in his arms.

"You want to come in quick?" Ezra quietly asked Aria. To be polite, Aria reluctantly got out of the car and walked towards the front door with the two boys.

They let themselves in, not expecting the shocking scene in front of them. Maggie was sitting on the couch with a bottle in her hand—clearly out of it. The place was an utter mess. A few more bottles littered the floor next to the couch.

"Maggie? Is this why I had to pick Malcolm up today?" Ezra asked, angry that she abandoned her parental responsibilities to get drunk, _of all things_.

"I thought he was staying at, at your place." Maggie loudly placed her bottle on the coffee table in front of her, not minding that her son was there to witness her in such a state. "I broke up with Andrew," she sobbed, dramatically burying her face into her hands. "Why do you have to ruin this for me!?" She picked the bottle up and took a large gulp.

"Excuse me?" Ezra nervously looked behind him at Aria and Malcolm, unsure of what to do. He ran his fingers through his short hair.

"Her," Maggie sloppily pointed to Aria, but her finger was pointing more towards a clock. "She ruins everything."

"Maggie—"

"You're wrong, Ezra!" she shouted, then stood up and approached them. She was inches from his face. "Whatever you're going to say, you're wrong," she hissed, a few drops of spit hitting him in the face. Her breath smelled of alcohol.

Fear engulfed Aria's body, and she was about to leave the house with Malcolm in tow—but Maggie noticed and forcibly grabbed her arm. Malcolm ran across the room and down the hallway, presumably to his room. Ezra was relieved his son would have _some _innocence left, but was still concerned as he watched Maggie hold Aria.

"If it weren't for you, we'd be a happy family," she shouted. "Me and Ezra. That's what it's supposed to be." She squeezed Aria's arm, making the smaller girl cringe in pain. "Me, Malcolm, and Ezra."

"Maggie, you're hurting me," she calmly told her. "Please just let go."

But Maggie didn't let go. She held on tighter, her fingers wrapping around Aria's skin.

"Let go of her, Maggie, or I'm calling the police," Ezra demanded. He tried to pry Maggie's fingers from Aria's arm.

Maggie chuckled cynically; the darkness that filled her eyes terrified Aria. "Relax, Ezra, I'm not touching her anymore than you did when she was your student."

He grabbed Aria's hand and tried to pull her away from Maggie, and Maggie finally let go of Aria's arm. "Is it passed her bedtime?"

"We're leaving, and Malcolm is coming with us," Ezra announced. He grabbed Aria's hand and started walking down the hallway to Malcolm. "We'll talk tomorrow when you're not intoxicated in front of our son."

Before they could escape, Maggie grabbed Aria's arm again and aggressively yanked her away from Ezra.

"This little slut isn't Malcolm's mother, Ezra—and hopefully she'll never be a mother at all, so you'll realize what you could have with me and Malcolm." She let go and threw Aria against the wall. Aria winced in pain from the floor.

Going away for college didn't seem so horrible anymore.

* * *

**I'm sorry to the few of you I disappointed with my last chapter. I agree that it wasn't my best.**

**So, this story has turned into the longest one-shot ever, right?**

**If you're not already, follow me on Twitter at SleepntheHrding, or my main account which is in my profile. I also have a boring tumblr, SleepntheHarding.**

**I know nothing about karate or running or marathons or alcohol. **

**As always, thank you for the reviews. They mean the world to me and motivate me to keep writing. I love suggestions for cute little scenes or places for them to go. So, PLEASE REVIEW! ! !**


	18. Chapter 18

Aria remained on the floor of Maggie's living room, slumped against the wall. Although she was in a minimal amount of pain, she made no effort to get up—paralyzed in a combination of fear and astonishment. Ezra's eyes darted between his girlfriend sitting on the floor, and his ex-girlfriend standing over her.

The sympathetic, guilty look on Maggie's face suggested that she finally realized what she was doing. She stepped back and clutched her face with her hands, staring at Aria but not saying a word. Her eyebrows creased in worry, appearing more like a toddler who accidentally stepped on a pretty butterfly.

Aria waited for Ezra to say something, anything, to defend her against the various horrendous comments that came out of Maggie's mouth in the last sixty seconds. Like reminding her she was a 17-year-old home wrecking slut who couldn't even keep her baby alive.

"I think I should take Malcolm tonight," Ezra announced, looking at Maggie. "We'll talk tomorrow." His voice wasn't angry, but it was far from content, and not once did he imply the devotion he had for his girlfriend of over a year.

Maggie silently nodded as Ezra made his way down the hallway to find Malcolm. She continued to just look at Aria, who narrowed her eyes and stared back. "You think I'm ruining everything?" Aria demanded. "Look what _you _just did."

Ezra emerged from the hallway with Malcolm's hand in his. The boy was visibly startled, whimpering in fear. "Aria, let's go." He offered her his hand, but she didn't accept. She lifted herself from the ground and walked to the door on her own, with Ezra and Malcolm following behind.

* * *

Malcolm sat in the back seat of the car where he had been not even fifteen minutes prior, staring out the window as the car drove away from Maggie's house. His tear-stained cheeks were still red. The radio wasn't on. No one said a word. It was silent.

Yet the inside of Aria's mind was not silent, and neither was Ezra's. They were as loud as could be after Maggie's outburst. Should Ezra carry on and trust Maggie? He didn't know. But Aria did. She wanted Maggie out of her life. She was done—for good.

Ezra cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that happened. If I had known—"

"She called me a slut, Ezra," Aria snapped, but quiet enough so her voice didn't carry to Malcolm's ears. She crossed her arms against her chest and refused to look at Ezra. "And she nearly broke my arm, and you're okay with that?"

"She was drunk, Aria." He glanced at her for a moment before returning his eyes to the road. "She didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, Ezra," she sighed, "she was drunk, which means she meant every word she said."

Ezra knew she was right. In all likelihood, Maggie had been suppressing these thoughts for months. All she needed were a few bottles of alcohol to take it out on Aria. But Maggie meant nothing to him, and neither did her accusations.

"I'm sure you'd have some interesting words for her if she happened to catch you under the influence," he pointed out, "but that doesn't make you a bad person."

Aria bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, exhaling a deep breath. "I'm going away for college."

It stung like a slap against his cheek or a punch in the gut, or both at the same time. "That's great, Aria," he replied. He forced the enthusiasm in his voice, disguising the heartbreak he felt whenever she mentioned leaving him. "Did you decide where you're going?"

"Boston or California," she answered too quickly, _way_ too quickly, "but I haven't decided yet."

Ezra nodded, keeping a calm demeanor. "Whatever you choose, it will be a great experience for you."

"You're not even going to try to stop me?" She whipped her head to look at Ezra. "Or even discuss this with me?"

"I told you I'm not going to hold you back from having a college experience," he stressed, "so, no, I'm not going to fight."

"Do you care at all?" she accused, her furious eyes burning into Ezra. "Or do you want me to go so you can be a family with Maggie?"

Ezra shook his head and let out a sigh of irritation. He felt like he had been trying to convince her just how much he loved her for over a year, and yet she still didn't get it. How could she not understand the unconditional love he had for her? "You _know _that's not true." He released a hand from the steering wheel and ran it through his hair.

"I'm not sure I do," she mumbled.

"Are you trying to break up with me?"

"No," she answered, the intensity in her face softening, "because I'm not sure you'd care enough to fight for us...and I can't accept that." The anger had disappeared from her voice, and now conveyed heartbreaking sadness.

"That's ridic—"

"Stop fighting. It makes me sad," Malcolm begged from the back seat, interrupting the too-familiar bickering a few feet in front of him. He leaned forward so Aria and Ezra would notice his presence. "Would you rather hug or fight?"

Ezra looked in the rearview mirror at his son's face, who was patiently waiting for an answer. "What?"

"That's what my Grandpa says when I fight with my cousin," he told his father. "Why fight when we can be happy? It feels better."

"You're right, Malcolm," Ezra managed to smile into the rearview mirror, then looked at Aria beside him, who didn't react. She remained silent in the passenger seat, the same frown unbroken on her lips.

"I just," Aria breathed, pausing for a moment, "_I just want you to be on my side, no matter what_," she whispered.

To Aria, it felt like ages before Ezra responded to her. He kept his eyes focused in front of him, as if he never heard her plea. But a few moments later, she felt his hand rest on her thigh, and he finally said the words she wanted to hear.

"I'm _always _on your side," he promised her, "_and I always will be._"

He didn't turn to look at her, but from the corner of his eye, he saw a small, genuine smile appear on her lips—one that didn't fade for the remainder of the ride back to Rosewood.

* * *

The following afternoon, Aria leaned against her mother's couch, her legs underneath her, focused on a history assignment due the next day. Ella entered the room and sat beside her.

"I'm glad you're here," Ella expressed, a soft smile on her lips. "Usually it's just Mike these days." She lovingly patted Aria's knee.

Aria continued writing in her notebook, not wanting to lose her train of thought on some pointless war she'd likely forget the next week. She had enough battles in her life as it were. "I feel like I'm basically living at Ezra's." She put her pencil down and looked at Ella, giving her a small smile. "I just needed a little space."

"Good," Ella sighed, "because I'm not particularly comfortable with you having sleepovers with him in the first place."

Aria nodded. She picked up her pencil and moved on to the next chapter, jotting down more notes. She shifted her body on the couch and noticeably grimaced in pain.

"What's the matter, honey?" Ella asked, her eyebrow raised in suspicion. That's when her eyes moved to the bruise wrapped around Aria's upper arm—a bruise that appeared as if someone forcibly held her.

"Nothing," Aria lied, not picking up her pencil from the paper, "Ezra's been forcing me to run with him each morning, and I'm a little sore." It was true, she was sore from her second morning run—ever—but even she knew Maggie was partially to blame.

"You? Run?" Ella laughed. "I know you didn't borrow sneakers from me, because I don't think I own any."

Aria nervously laughed. "We're 'training,'" she said, using air quotes, "for a marathon in Philly this summer." She dropped her pencil and took a deep breath, knowing she'd have to further explain her sudden interest in running, as the surprise on Ella's face had yet to fade. "He's just trying to make me happy, Mom." The real purpose of her involvement in the marathon felt like it needed to be kept a secret between her and Ezra. It just wouldn't feel special otherwise.

"Oh," was all Ella said, pursing her lips. "He's very good to you..." she trailed off. "At least, I hope he is."

Aria squinted her eyes, trying to read into her mother's sudden distrust in Ezra, when her phone vibrated from the table. She leaned forward and looked at the screen.

"It's Ezra," she said, standing up from the coach. "I'm going to see what he wants." She quickly walked away from her mother to the guest room and shut the door. "Hey," she answered. "What's up?"

"_Maggie wants to, uh," _he hesitated, clearing his throat,_ "Maggie wants to talk to you."_

"Why would I want to talk to her?" She sat on the edge of the bed and rolled her eyes, even though she knew Ezra couldn't see her.

"_I'm assuming she wants to apologize," _he paused for several moments,_ "and I think you should give her a chance."_

Aria sighed. "I'd rather just avoid her for the rest of my life, and imagine her face on dartboards and punching bags."

Ezra lowered his voice, almost to a whisper. _"You know that's not going to work out well. If Malcolm is going to be a part of my life, then Maggie will be too."_

"Fine," she gave in, "I'll do it for you. But only for you."

"_Thank you, Aria. She's actually here right now, and I'm kinda hiding in the bathroom, so could you..."_

"I'll be there in ten minutes. Love you."

"_Love you, too. I'll see you soon."_

Aria ended the call and put her phone in her pocket before walking back to the living room where Ella was waiting. "I'm heading over to Ezra's, but I'll be back tonight." She reached for her jacket hanging on the back of the door.

"Aria, I don't want you going over there," Ella insisted, a surprising sternness in her voice. Aria recognized this voice from a little over a year ago, when she and Ezra went public with their relationship. But that was then, and this was now, and Ella had accepted Ezra long ago.

Aria turned around and raised an eyebrow. "And why not?"

"Is he hurting you?" She took a heavy, deep breath. It was obvious that this was difficult for her to talk about. "Physically?"

"What!?" Aria asked, her eyes growing twice in size. "Why would you ask that?" She walked towards her mother, demanding an answer.

"That bruise," Ella pointed to Aria's arm, "the need for space, how you just locked yourself in a room to talk to him—"

And then she understood, looking down at the black and blue on her arm. "Ezra would never hurt me, Mom." Her eyes moved to the floor and she lowered her voice. "His ex-girlfriend, on the other hand..."

"As in, Malcolm's mother?"

Aria nodded, and Ella did not look anymore pleased than when she thought Ezra had been hurting her daughter. Of course, anyone hurting Aria was reason for Ella to be furious. "She was drunk last night, and apparently had been holding back a lot of...choice words for me."

Ella closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Aria, are you telling me the truth?"

Aria bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"Something like this could be reason for her son to be taken away from her," Ella told her. "Do you realize this?"

"Listen, I am almost positive she has never been drunk in front of Malcolm before." She didn't know why she decided to defend Maggie, but for some reason it felt right. Like by defending Maggie, she was defending Ezra. "She even told us that she thought Malcolm was staying over Ezra's last night."

Ella sighed and glanced back at the bruise on Aria's arm. "I trust that if you or Ezra think Malcolm is in danger, you wouldn't hesitate to report her, right?"

Aria slowly nodded, putting a hand on Ella's shoulder. "Mom, I love Malcolm, more than I ever thought I would," she admitted. "You can trust me."

"Alright," Ella said, half-convinced of Aria's statement. "I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Bye, Mom." Aria buttoned her jacket and grabbed her purse from beside the door. "Love you."

"Wait," Ella called, preventing Aria from leaving—again. "Remember how you feel right now, or last night when she did that to you, when you decide where you want to go to school."

Aria gave Ella a half smirk. That was all she thought about as she tried to fall asleep last night—how wonderful and refreshing it would be to rid herself of the problems surrounding her recently. To move away from Rosewood, from dealing with her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend, a stepson at seventeen. She could be a college student, in a way she was never really a high school student. All of these thoughts would become confusing, though, when Ezra would pull her close against his body, nuzzling his nose into her hair. She could live without that for a week, but the thought of living without that for weeks or months at a time was too painful.

"I know." She opened the door and left her mother behind, on her way to Ezra's apartment—to see the one person she promised herself she'd never look at again. Promises she told her friends were kept, but she continued to break the promises she told herself.

* * *

Aria stood awkwardly in Ezra's apartment, having what seemed like a stare down with Maggie. Who would talk first? She couldn't decide whether to start with bitchiness, or approach the situation in a friendly manner. The first option seemed more appealing, but she knew the second was what Ezra wanted. She'd have to use the haircut insults for another time, if necessary.

"Hi, Aria," Maggie warmly welcomed, putting her hand out for Aria to shake.

Was this some kind of truce? A new start? Did she remember what happened the night before? Aria put her hand in Maggie's and limply shook her hand. "Hi." Her eyes moved from Maggie to Ezra standing a few feet to the right of Maggie. He shrugged.

"Malcolm and I are going to get some coffee and hot chocolate at The Brew," Ezra announced. He kissed Aria's forehead and exited the apartment, leaving the two women alone.

She was alone. With Ezra's psycho bitch of a baby mama. Maybe Maggie didn't want to talk. Maybe she wanted to take advantage of Ezra's steak knives sitting in his drawer, or better yet, his balcony—make it look like a tragic accident and run off and get married and give Malcolm a few siblings.

Aria quickly glanced at the kitchen behind her, making sure all sharp utensils were safely put away. They were. But, nonetheless, she didn't feel safe, and even if she felt safe, she definitely did not want to be there.

"Should we sit down?" Maggie interrupted Aria's ridiculous thought process, motioning to Ezra's couch.

"_Not on my boyfriend's couch, you whore,_" she thought. "Sure," she said.

Maggie sat on the couch, waiting for Aria to sit beside her. Instead, Aria opted for the chair across from her, over the coffee table. Maggie glanced at the bruise on Aria's arm, and frowned.

"I cannot even begin to tell you how sorry I am for last night," Maggie apologized. If Aria hadn't been mistaking, it seemed rather...genuine.

"Yeah, well," Aria replied. She crossed her arms and looked at the coffee table, refusing to make eye contact with the _evil_ woman.

"Aria, please," she pleaded, "I know I've been hard on you, and last night was completely uncalled for, but I want you to try to understand where I'm coming from."

Aria managed to lift her eyes and focus on Maggie's face. She had to admit that the woman seemed genuinely remorseful, but her eyes also showed that she was trying to hold it together herself. Like there was another battle that Aria selfishly ignored, too focused on her own.

"Okay, I'll try." She forced a smile.

"I broke up with Andrew because he almost hurt Malcolm, and it scared me, but then," she breathed, trying to hold back tears, "I felt hopeless, worthless...less everything."

Aria nodded and crossed her legs, getting more relaxed in the chair. "Yeah, I know that feeling."

"After I hurt you last night, I realized I was no better than Andrew, and that's what scared me the most," she confessed. "So that's why I came here."

Aria fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, waiting for Maggie to continue.

"I had Malcolm when I was eighteen, and I had no one besides a few family members to help me," Maggie began, trying to look directly at Aria. "I was fine by myself, but eventually it got lonely. I'd be up all night trying to soothe Malcolm, and sometimes I'd just cry, wondering what my life would've been like if Ezra were around."

Aria wondered the opposite, and felt somewhat guilty. What would her life be _without _Ezra? She couldn't remember. "That must've been hard," she murmured.

"It was the hardest few years of my life," she nodded. "Eventually I started dating, but I quickly realized that men my age wanted nothing to do with a woman with a kid. And then I met Andrew, he was older, so I thought," she hesitated, "I don't know...it just seemed right."

Aria smiled; this time it wasn't forced. "Maggie, I get it. I'm kinda into older guys, too."

Maggie laughed, and Aria—surprisingly—joined in. The tension of the apartment immediately lifted, and Aria wasn't afraid of the balcony or steak knives anymore.

"What I meant to say last night was _'You're really lucky to have him'_ but the alcohol might've mixed up the words a little bit," Maggie joked, "and he's really lucky to have you, too, you know."

Maggie's words affected Aria in a way she hadn't expected. Walking into the apartment today, she assumed she'd tolerate a mediocre apology and they'd carry on as they were before, just _tolerating _each other. But now, Maggie seemed like more of a human, and less of a cold-hearted robotic bitch. As if they had a connection of some sort.

"Instead of handing off Malcolm every few days, maybe we could spend more time together as one big, dysfunctional family," Aria suggested, barely believing her own words. "You know, the 17-year-old stepmother, the ex-girlfriend. It's like the 2012 version of the _Brady Bunch_."

Maggie chuckled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Both of them turned as the door opened and Malcolm and Ezra shuffled inside. Ezra placed a few styrofoam cups on the kitchen table. "I got some coffee, if want some," Ezra told them. "I'm going to assume you two are okay, now?"

Aria and Maggie nodded. "Yeah, I think we can manage," Aria said, looking at Maggie, as if they had some secret they couldn't divulge.

Ezra gave Aria a questioning glance, but didn't bother asking questions. They were happy, and that's all he wanted.

Maggie stood up. "I think Malcolm and I are going to get going since it's a school night."

"But we just got here," Malcolm pouted. He ran over to Aria and grabbed her waist. "I want to play with Aria."

"She'll be here next time, honey," Maggie said, smiling at Aria. "Thank you for listening."

* * *

Aria and Ezra shared a meal of vegan takeout over the coffee table. The TV was on low volume in the background, providing a dim source of light to the small apartment. Ezra sat across from Aria where Maggie had been previously.

"So, what's with you and late-onset psychotic girlfriends?" Aria asked before eating a forkful from her plate.

Ezra chewed a bite and swallowed. "I guess I have a type," he teased, waiting for Aria to reply with an equally biting remark.

Aria narrowed her eyes. "Just you wait, one day I'll be the most psychotic of all."

Ezra laughed and shook his head. "Nope," he said, popping the p, "Because you'll never be an ex-girlfriend."

Feeling her heart melt, Aria allowed Ezra to be cheesy for tonight. So, she decided to be equally as cheesy and held back the eye roll threatening to emerge. "Maggie reminded me how lucky I am to have you." She could've been Maggie. She could've had a baby. She could've had to do it alone. But she didn't, and she still had him by her side.

Ezra laughed and shook his head. "Only half as lucky as I am to have you."

"Really? Running with me every morning must feel like running with a ball and chain attached to your leg."

"That's accurate," he admitted, receiving a hateful glare from his girlfriend.

Aria loved these conversations—a weird combination of love, sarcasm, and loving insults. It was weird. But it was them.

"You staying over tonight?" Ezra asked, moving his hand to scratch the back of his neck.

"I told my mom I'd be back tonight," she reluctantly told him. "Sorry."

He nodded in understanding. "You can stay there tomorrow night. I want you tonight."

Aria took a sip of her water and put it back on the table. "I didn't bring a change of clothes or anything."

"What's your drawer full of, then?" He asked, pointing to the dresser near the bathroom. "I like you better without them, anyway," he answered with a wink.

"Mr. Fitz, that was a naughty comment," she scolded him, then smirked, "but the feeling is mutual."

Ezra raised his eyebrows. "So will you stay?"

"No," she sighed, "I need to stay at my mom's tonight."

Ezra narrowed his eyes, trying to read Aria. Not that he needed to. He knew what this was about; her reluctance to stay over was probably the same as her reluctance to let him into the shower. She was scared.

"Aria—"

"Ezra, I'm going home," she stressed, "I've slept over here for days."

"That's fine, but—"

"But what?"

Ezra took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his palms on his jeans. "I don't think you're telling me everything, and we can't ignore the fact that we haven't... done anything in almost a month."

She lowered her eyebrows. "I'm sorry I'm not exactly in the mood to have sex after suffering a miscarriage," she snapped. She crossed her arms and leaned against the back of the coach, throwing her head back and staring at the ceiling. She blinked several times, her anger fading, and several tears ran down her cheeks. She wished Ezra didn't have to see her like this so often.

Ezra cringed, but he knew it might turn into this. "I just don't want you to be scared, Aria." He stood up from his couch and sat beside her, taking her hand in his. He moved his thumb over the top of her knuckles. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

It felt like the first time they made love almost a year ago, sitting on the couch, tears running down her cheeks. Her voice cracked as she tried to tell him _any school would be lucky to have him_, but truthfully, she didn't want anyone to have him. She needed him. He didn't need to ask her if she was ready, or if she was okay. One shared look and they began undressing each other, in a way that was bursting with overwhelming love, not lust.

The same thing happened on this night. It was a new beginning, just as beautiful as their _first time_. But that night he was leaving, and tonight he was doing just the opposite. He planned on never leaving her.

Ezra was sitting close to her on the couch, his breath fanning her face, and she couldn't take it anymore. Their fingers remained interlocked, but she wanted their bodies to do the same. He pressed his lips against hers, and she eagerly reciprocated. Her hands wrapped around his neck, pulling him as close as she possibly could while remaining two separate people. His hands travelled underneath her shirt, his fingers delicately grazing over her skin. He lifted her shirt over her head and threw it to the ground. He moved his lips to her neck as she pushed his shirt over his body, indulging in the touch of his skin against her finger tips. Before they moved to the bed, they stopped, breathless, panting, in love. Ezra asked her a silent question.

"I'm okay," she said.

"I love you," he said.

Ezra reached for the clasps of her bra, and she went straight for the button on his jeans.

She didn't sleep at her mother's place that night.

* * *

**Sorry for the nearly two-week wait. I did, however, upload a one-shot last weekend called "Whispered Kisses" in case you missed it.**

**"Would you rather hug or fight?" was inspired by my little cousins. We used to say it to them when they'd fight, and one day they started saying it to the adults. It's kind of a thing in my family now.**

**REVIEW? SUGGESTIONS? QUESTIONS? Whatever you want. I just like reviews.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A few reminders before you read this chapter: Spencer isn't psycho in this story, which means Toby isn't A in this story. And I forgot about Bee the kitten and you probably did too but HERE SHE IS AGAIN. Enjoy!**

* * *

Ezra jogged quickly down the Rosewood sidewalks, but not as quickly as he'd _like _to run. Aria worded it rather accurately a few nights before—running with her was like running with a ball and chain attached to his ankle, but he was doing it _for _her, so he couldn't let it bother him.

"Ezra!" Aria's voice called from a distance behind him.

Ezra slowed his pace and turned to find Aria struggling to keep up. Reluctantly, he stopped and waited for her—_again_. After what seemed like minutes, she caught up and stopped, heavily breathing in and out.

"You told me," she took a breath, "that you wouldn't run off without me." She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

Ezra grinned. "It's not my fault my legs are twice as long as yours."

Aria narrowed her eyes and frowned at her boyfriend before planting herself on the curb of the sidewalk. She leaned back and rested her palms on the pavement behind her. "Is it just me," she breathed, "or is this taking longer than usual?"

Ezra sat beside her, albeit he would've rather continued running, but there was no use arguing once Aria sat down. "That's the point, Aria," he reminded her. "We need to increase our distance every week or so to train for the half marathon."

"I'm so tired," Aria whined, resting her head on Ezra's shoulder. "Can we just go back to your apartment and sleep before I have to go to school?" She looked up at him with the saddest puppy dog eyes she could manage.

Ezra sighed and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close against him. He looked into her eyes. "Do you want to...," he hesitated, "do you want to give up? It's up to you. I just want you to be happy."

Aria took a deep breath and reached for the guardian angel around her neck, mindlessly fidgeting with the necklace that she'd yet to take off since he gave it to her. Whenever she did this, Ezra knew she was thinking about their baby, and he'd silently curse himself for making her feel that way. But then he'd remember it was exactly what she wanted.

"No, I don't want to give up." She looked him in the eyes and forced a genuine smile. "We owe it to someone."

Ezra sucked in his upper lip and nodded. "You're right. We do." He used the sidewalk for support and stood up, then offered his hand to Aria. "Should we get going?" He pulled her to her feet.

Aria brushed the dirt from her hands and nodded. "Stay with me this time, please?"

"I'll always stay with you," he promised, confidently sticking his pinky finger in the air. "I pinky swear."

She laughed. "Seriously? A pinky promise? Are we in kindergarten?"

Ezra didn't take his pinky back; he didn't plan on ever taking his promise back. "If I were in kindergarten, you wouldn't be alive."

Aria rolled her eyes and wrapped her small pinky finger around his, knowing it meant more than a simple promise on a morning run. "I'll hold you to that, Mr. Fitz."

"Good," he replied.

The two of them continued jogging down the sidewalk. Ezra never left her side—even if it meant running with a ball and chain. He had to admit, she was the most adorable ball and chain he knew.

* * *

Spencer and Aria sat across from each other at The Brew after a long afternoon of shopping for Valentine's Day preparations. The small coffee shop was busy with the after-school crowd, but their table was rather silent. Aria stared at her coffee in front of her.

Spencer took a sip from her coffee and placed it on the table. "So, have you decided yet?"

Aria lifted her gaze and looked at her best friend. "Decided what?"

"Do you know where you're going to school next year?" she clarified, growing concerned towards Aria's neglect at such an important decision. 'You _are _going somewhere, right?"

Spencer had thought about nothing _but _college in recent weeks, and despite having a boyfriend, her thoughts weren't reserved for a sudden stepson or a miscarried baby. College was only one out of several complications in Aria's life, and one that she generally pushed to the back of her mind. She didn't like to think about leaving Ezra.

"I think I know where I'm going," she admitted, taking a deep breath. "I think I'd like to go to Boston."

Spencer smiled and put her hand on Aria's arm, sensing her friend's discomfort in the decision. "It's not _that _far."

"A five-hour train ride," Aria stated, managing a slight smile. "I've done my research."

"Have you told him yet?" She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, already suspecting the answer.

"Sorta."

Spencer raised an eyebrow and waited for a proper explanation.

"We were arguing and I shouted it in the moment." She sighed and nervously cupped her hands around her coffee. "I didn't mean it then, but I'm almost certain I mean it now." She took another sip from her coffee and looked down, unable to make eye contact with Spencer. She lowered her voice to a whisper, almost as if she were speaking to herself. "I want to be a normal 18-year-old, not a soccer mom."

"You and Ezra will be _fine, _Aria," Spencer comforted. Her Sparia senses knew exactly what Aria was battling in her mind. "Do you realize how much he loves you?"

Aria frowned. She knew how much he loved her, which is precisely why the conclusion had been so difficult to reach. "Spence, by moving to Boston, am I giving up on us?"

"No, we'll _always_ be Team Sparia," she joked, but Aria's frown indicated she wasn't in the mood for humor at the moment. "If I'm not going to give up on you two, then _you _better not give up. It might be good for you to—"

Spencer was interrupted by Aria's phone vibrating loudly on the table. The girls moved their attention to the bright iPhone screen, noticing it was Ezra calling. "Speak of the devil," Spencer mumbled.

Aria composed herself and brought the phone to her ear. "Hey babe," Aria answered with a wide smile, which quickly faded into alarm. "What happened?"

Spencer looked across the table with a puzzled expression. "Everything alright?"

"I'll be there in ten minutes," Aria said in a panic. She ended the call and looked at Spencer. "Ezra needs me to pick him up at the hospital."

"Is he okay?"

"He fell down a few steps when he was with Malcolm and broke his arm and sprained his ankle," she explained while quickly gathering her things and putting her jacket on. "Have fun with Toby!" She rushed out of The Brew to save her damsel in distress—or her _boyfriend_ in distress.

* * *

Aria turned into the pick-up area near the emergency room of Rosewood Community Hospital in search of her injured boyfriend. She spotted him sitting on a bench near the entrance; his left arm was in a sling while his other arm held onto a crutch. After parking against the curb, she stepped out of the car and opened the passenger-side door.

Ezra hobbled to the car with a smile, leaving Aria to wonder how he could be so content after suffering so much pain. He used his good hand to tilt Aria's chin towards him and leaned down to peck her on the lips. "Thank you for picking me up."

Aria creased her eyebrows in confusion. "Why are you so happy? You have a broken arm."

"After sitting in the emergency room all day in intense pain, it's refreshing to see your face," he answered as he struggled to get into the car. "I'm _always _happy to see your beautiful face."

"I feel the same way about you," Aria grabbed his crutch and lay it on the backseat of the car. "Except when it's 5:30 in the morning and you start singing obnoxiously loud to force me out of bed."

Ezra chuckled and closed his door as Aria walked around the car and got in beside him. She pulled out of the hospital parking lot and started heading in the direction of Ezra's apartment.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, focused on the road in front of her. Usually Ezra was the one to drive, so it felt a little odd to be the chauffeur.

Ezra sighed loudly, noticeably grimacing in pain. "Much better than I did a few hours ago, but they gave me a lot of pain killers."

"I'm sure you'll feel better soon." Aria turned for a moment to give him a sympathetic smile and rubbed her hand on his knee before taking a deep breath. "Why didn't you call me earlier? I would've kept you company and held your hand."

"You told me you were spending the afternoon with Spencer and I didn't want to interrupt," he explained. "And besides, I'm a big boy and can take care of myself."

"I don't care." Aria smiled and kept her hand on her boyfriend's leg. "I'm your girlfriend and I'm supposed to take care of you, Ezra."

She immediately realized the hypocrisy in her words and moved her arm to hold the necklace that hung around her neck, just as she did this morning. Or as Ezra realized, just as she did several times a day. The car was suddenly quiet.

"It's not the same," Aria added in defense, even though Ezra hadn't said a word.

"I didn't say it was." But he had been thinking about it. He _always _thought about the night Aria had the miscarriage, and how he hadn't been there to hold her hand. A few moments of silence passed before he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," she answered quickly and decided to change the subject. She didn't want to talk about _that _when she was trying to focus on the road in front of her. Otherwise, they could easily end up in the emergency room again. "What are we doing for Valentine's Day tomorrow?"

"There's this new Indian restaurant in New Hope called 'Disha's' and I've heard it's really good," he suggested, looking at Aria for approval. "Or at least that's what the internet told me."

Aria smiled, relieved that Ezra went along and dropped the subject. "That sounds great. I'll come to your apartment right after school."

"And you're going to have to drive, unfortunately." He shook his head in disappointment. "I was going to pick you up. It would've been more romantic that way, and last year I wasn't able to since your family wanted to decapitate me."

"It really doesn't matter, Ezra." Aria pulled into a parking space on the side of the street near his apartment building. "Besides, I'm usually the one who wears the pants in our relationship anyway." She bit her lip, trying to hold back the chuckle that wanted to escape.

"I'd prefer neither of us wear the pants in the relationship," he said with a wink, then immediately regretted his remark knowing how Aria usually punished him. He flinched as Aria slapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't be naughty," she scolded, her finger pointing in his face.

"Don't hit your poor injured boyfriend," he pouted, shielding his broken arm with his good one.

"Oh, trust me, I would've hit you harder if you weren't in a sling." She adjusted herself so she was on her knees and leaning over the center console. "Let's get you upstairs so I can take care of you."

"Aria..."

"Shhh," she silenced him with a quick kiss on the lips. "I want to." She unbuckled his seatbelt for him, carefully making sure it didn't catch his arm when it retreated to its place next to the seat. "I'll get your crutch, okay?"

Ezra nodded, but stayed seated as he waited for his girlfriend to come around and open the door for him. He hadn't felt so weak and pathetic in a long time; he was supposed to take care of Aria, not the other way around. He rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand and suddenly felt the door opening beside him.

"Ready to go upstairs?" Aria asked, extending her hand for Ezra to use as support. He pulled himself out of the car—with some difficulty—and stood on the sidewalk, trying to keep his balance without putting weight on his left leg.

"Do you want to use me instead of the crutch?" She asked, eyeing him up and down.

"No, you're too short and I don't want to hurt you." He took the crutch from Aria, who was still staring at him, her eyes taking in his body. "What?"

"Tomorrow is going to be interesting," she quietly murmured.

He lowered his eyebrows. "What do you mean by 'interesting'?"

"Driving to the restaurant isn't going to be the only difficulty we'll face on _Valentine's Day_." She raised her eyebrows, hoping he'd catch on. "You know, the holiday of _love_."

He remained confused and suddenly he understood, his own eyebrows reaching the top of his forehead. "Tomorrow is going to be interesting, _indeed_."

* * *

The guest room at Ella's apartment was scattered with various dresses and accessories. An extremely frustrated Aria perused the selection, wondering how she couldn't find a damn thing to wear on Valentine's Day when her wardrobe was so expansive. But tonight wasn't the night to wear a dress or necklace that could double as a weapon, especially in Ezra's current condition. Why didn't anyone tell her how _dangerous _and complicated her clothing seemed?

A knock came from the door. "Aria, can I come in?" Ella asked from the other side.

"Yup," Aria replied, plopping herself onto the bed and groaning. She rested her head on a pile of clothes and stared at the ceiling.

"I just wanted to ask you—" she stopped, noticing the mess, "Wardrobe crisis?"

"I can't find anything to wear tonight," she complained, crossing her arms against her chest.

"You look beautiful in anything, Aria, and I'm sure Ezra agrees." Her mother sat beside her on the edge of the bed.

Aria frowned, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, but I want to look," she bit her lip and hesitated, "_sexy._"

"I guess I can't argue with that, since it is Valentine's Day," Ella admitted, although she didn't want to. Ever since she witnessed her daughter buying a pregnancy test, sex wasn't such an untouchable subject between them.

"I also need a dress that can be easily removed," she blurted out, realizing her mistake instantly, but went along with it anyway. "Ezra broke his arm..."

Ella glared at her daughter and exhaled a deep breath. "Wear that deep purple one over there," she pointed across the bed, "It doesn't have straps." She stood up and started to walk out of the room. "_Be careful_," she stressed, "and this conversation never happened, okay?"

Aria eagerly nodded. That didn't sound like such a bad idea.

* * *

Aria let herself into Ezra's apartment, expecting to find him lounged on the couch watching TV with his leg propped up like she had told him to do the night before. He had followed her orders, but he wasn't alone; Maggie and Malcolm were there, sitting across from him. Everyone stopped talking when the door opened.

"Hi Aria!" Malcolm shouted excitedly from his chair. He was holding something behind his back, smirking suspiciously.

"Hi, Malcolm," Aria greeted, placing her things on the kitchen table. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Nope," Ezra assured her, "Malcolm didn't want to leave until he could give you something."

Malcolm jumped up from his chair and raced over to Aria, presenting a homemade card and a small box of chocolates. "I bought the chocolate myself. My dad said this kind is your favorite."

"Thank you so much, Malcolm." Aria bent down and hugged the small boy, kissing him on the cheek. "What did I do to deserve a such perfect gentleman like you in my life? You should teach your Dad how to treat a woman."

Malcolm giggled, his cheeks turning a light shade of red. "I'll try. He's not very good at it."

"I may be crippled, but my ears work perfectly fine," Ezra interjected from the couch, but he wasn't really angry. He loved to see Malcolm and Aria get along so well, like he was watching a glimpse into their future. He could handle getting teased on occasion.

Maggie stood and walked over to Aria and Malcolm by the door. "Well, I think it's time for us to go so I can take my little man out to dinner for Valentine's Day."

Aria nodded and gave Maggie a friendly smile. She was happy that her relationship with Maggie had improved, yet she still hated knowing Ezra was with his ex-girlfriend on Valentine's Day.

"Have a good time tonight, you two," Maggie said, holding Malcolm's hand. "And Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Aria!" Malcolm added, inspecting her dress, which was partially hidden by her coat. "You look so pretty."

"Thank you so much, handsome," she smiled.

Once Maggie and Malcolm exited the apartment, Ezra cleared his throat. "He's right," he informed her, "You look beautiful." He leaned over to grab his crutch from the top of the coffee table.

"Don't get up, you can rest until we leave," Aria demanded. She moved a few pillows and sat at the end of the couch. "You need to recover so we can start running again."

Ezra smiled, knowing there was no way she was disappointed in her sudden ability to sleep in before school. "Can you at least come over here so I can give you a proper hello?"

Aria scooted closer to her boyfriend and pressed her lips against his. He cupped her cheek with his right hand and delicately ran his thumb across her jawline; she wrapped her arm around his neck, bringing his head closer to hers. "Happy Valentine's Day," he breathed inches from her lips before gently kissing her once more. "I'm so lucky that I get to spend the day with you." They sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the rare moment of pure love and happiness. "Am I allowed to get up now so I can give you your flowers?"

Aria pursed her lips and nodded. He reached for his crutch and got to his feet, hobbling across the room. He picked up a large bouquet of red and yellow roses from his desk and managed to deliver them to his girlfriend waiting on the couch. "For you."

Aria accepted the roses and looked at the small card attached to them. _For my true love and best friend. I'll always stay with you. Pinky promise. Love, Ezra._

Aria could almost feel her heart melting, the remnants of her soul dripping to the tips of her toes. Dating a writer meant being able to fall into pieces with three simple sentences—or two sentence fragments and a complete sentence. It didn't matter. He always knew what to say and exactly how to say it. She moved her eyes from the card to Ezra's expectant gaze. "I'm even luckier," she said. Why did he have to make it so difficult to leave him?

A year ago, Ezra wasn't sure he'd get the opportunity to spend another Valentine's Day with the woman he believed to be his soulmate. And on this day, he was almost certain he'd get to relive this moment every year.

* * *

Aria and Ezra were seated at a private table in the corner of Disha's Authentic Indian Cuisine. The cozy restaurant was crowded with dozens of other couples, all seemed sickeningly in love. Ezra's crutch leaned against the wall behind them.

"Are we _that _bad?" Aria asked, pointing to a young couple across the dining room sharing a kiss over the table. "They're so sweet, I want to throw up."

Ezra took a sip of his water and placed it back on the table, wiping his mouth with the cloth napkin. "No, they're _sweet_, we're _scandalous and perfect_."

Aria nearly spit out her water, but managed to compose herself. "Did you seriously just call us scandalous?" she laughed. "Have you been talking to Spencer?"

Ezra shook his head, then transferred his attention to the countless framed pictures hanging on the wall. "Who _is _this girl? She's practically the restaurant's wallpaper."

"Maybe it's Disha," Aria joked, not expecting it to actually be Disha—whoever that was. "But she looks too young."

"That _is_ Disha." Their waitress, Nirja, appeared beside the table and inserted herself into the conversation. "She's the owner's daughter. I don't understand why her face needs to be everywhere I turn." She placed two plates in front of them. "Enjoy!"

"Thank you," they said at the same time, their voices echoing one another.

Aria took a few bites of her vegetable Biryani, a dish she had been dying to try as soon as she saw it listed on the menu—because, of course, she was a vegetarian. Nevertheless, she eyed Ezra's butter chicken and instinctively licked her lips.

"Did you want to try mine?" he asked.

"No, I'm a vegetarian," she reminded him. _How could he forget her preference for vegan food._

Ezra tried to hold back his laughter, a smile creeping onto his face.

"What was that look for?"

"We both know you're a _fake_ vegetarian, Aria. Do you remember what you ordered on the day we met? When you thought you were basically alone?"

Aria narrowed her eyes, then sighed and looked at his meal with envy. "You're right." She was about to attack his plate with her fork, when his fork shielded hers at the edge.

"Don't put your fork on my plate," he scolded her, faking his anger. "I'll feed you a bite."

"I can't put my fork on your plate, but you can put your fork in my mouth?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow.

Aria scrunched up her nose. "Okay, that came out all wrong."

Ezra shook his head and smiled. "I'm trying to be romantic, and you're ruining it with inappropriate jokes." He put some food on his fork and brought it to her mouth, which she accepted. "_Good thing I have one good arm._"

"That's _so _good," she said, her mouth still full of food. "Don't tell anyone I'm not a vegetarian. It will ruin my _artsy girl_," she put air quotes around the words, "reputation."

"Will do." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Would you like to open your present?"

Aria swallowed the bite and nodded, taking the envelope from Ezra's hand. "It can't be as good as the heart-patterned boxers I got you." She ripped open the envelope and took out two tickets for _Newsies _on Broadway.

"We're going to New York during your February break from school." He smiled his familiar warm smile.

"Ezra..." She looked up at him, her eyes full of gratitude.

"No Maggie, no Malcolm, no Rosewood psychos," he leaned across the table and kissed her, "just us."

"Thank you." She leaned further into the kiss, and they became _that sickeningly sweet couple _across the restaurant. But they weren't sweet, they were _scandalous _and_ perfect. _

And a little pathetic and dysfunctional— as Ezra knocked over his glass of water with his broken arm, causing Aria to fall back into her chair and laugh.

* * *

Ezra propped his foot on top of the coffee table—instead of the couch—so Aria could snuggle into his side as they watched a movie, a typical activity for the two of them. Bee was curled up on Aria's lap, purring happily. Even though it was routine and boring, it was perfect, and where they wanted to be.

Aria hated this movie, and Ezra knew she did, but he was taking full advantage of his pathetic state. Whenever she was about to doze off, he would grimace in pain and she'd immediately wake up and snuggle deeper into his side. It became a pattern throughout the evening, and he surely didn't mind. For the first time, Aria stayed awake the entire two hours.

"Hey Bee, why don't you cuddle with your daddy?" Ezra asked the kitten in baby talk and tried to pick her up, but her claws clung onto Aria's dress.

Aria yawned and rubbed Bee behind the ears, causing the adorable kitten to purr even louder. "Sorry Ezra, she only likes her mommy." She picked her up and placed her on Ezra's lap. "Daddy is crippled. Make him feel better."

Bee immediately crawled back onto Aria's lap and curled up into her original position. Ezra pouted and looked at Aria.

"If it makes you feel better, I love you _almost _as much as I love her," Aria teased. She took Ezra's hand in hers and squeezed it.

"Does Bee do this?" He pressed his lips against hers, and Aria took the opportunity to slip her tongue into his mouth, quickly deepening the intensity of the kiss. With one hand, she placed Bee onto the floor. _No innocent eyes should witness this._

She pulled away from the kiss, but only for a second to tell him, "it's pretty tough competition." He smiled into her lips, eventually releasing quiet moans into her mouth. Aria moved her body and straddled him—it was her only option, considering his injured leg. She wrapped her arms around his body, bringing him as close as possible to her own. He tried to do the same with his one arm.

Aria pulled away reluctantly, catching her breath, to ask him a quick question. "Are you okay to do this?"

Ezra eagerly nodded and moved his lips to her neck, sucking on her warm skin. Aria started unbuttoning his shirt, but she couldn't remove it due to his sling. They paused as he took his sling off, and she proceeded to throw his shirt behind the couch. Ezra returned his lips to her mouth and tried to unzip her dress, but he couldn't do it with one hand.

"Aria, Aria," he breathed into her mouth with urgency, "you're going to have to take your dress off."

Aria pulled away and groaned, unzipping her dress in frustration. She pulled it over her head and tossed it to the side. "You can't even unwrap your own Valentine's Day present." She attacked his lips again and dragged her fingers down his chest, hastily unbuttoning and unzipping his pants.

He pulled away from her lips again. "You have to get off me," he panted, "I can't carry you to the bed."

Aria groaned in frustration again, this time twice as loud. She crawled off his lap and waited for him to get up, now only in her bra and panties that she had purchased for him the day before—and this was _not _how she imagined using them.

Ezra struggled to stand up and let his pants fall to his ankles. He stepped out of them and held onto Aria again, using her as his crutch as they hobbled over to the bed with with their lips attached. Aria fell back onto the mattress and he crawled on top of her, then grimaced as he remembered his arm. "You're going to have to be on top..." he cautioned.

Aria pushed him to the other side of the bed and straddled him. "You okay?"

He nodded and started sucking on the skin above her chest. The next challenge was her bra, and it proved to be more than a challenge. "I can't..."

"You've taken my bra off with one hand before, Mr. Fitz!" she shouted, blatant anger in her voice.

He had, but this one was new, and his brain couldn't send the instructions to his fingers when his girlfriend was on top of his hips, almost naked. Why did she have to wear a new bra?

Aria reached behind her, still straddling his hips, and unclasped her bra. She tossed it off the bed, then attempted to take his boxers off. Ezra squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth in pain. Rather than progressing any further, she rolled off his body and fell onto the mattress beside him.

"This is ridiculous, Ezra," she breathed loudly, "I'm not even in the mood anymore." Once she caught her breath, her anger subsided and she started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" He absentmindedly ran his fingers across the bare skin on her side, indulging in the feeling of her soft, warm skin.

Aria moved her head and looked at him. "I'm pretty sure that could've been a scene in a hit comedy...a rated R one."

"Oh? You're going to laugh at my pain?" His fingers reached her armpit, and he started to tickle her. "_Good thing I have one good arm._"

Aria started laughing uncontrollably as Ezra tickle attacked her, moving his fingers from her armpits, to under her neck, and around her belly button. Each location seemed to elicit even more giggles than the previous.

"Stop," she laughed, Ezra!"

Ezra did as he was told and stopped, then rested his head against his pillow. He pulled Aria against him and they lay together in bliss. They never got to removing her panties, and his boxers never reached his ankles.

"I'm sorry I ruined Valentine's Day," he told her, his voice tired and raspy.

She turned on her side so she was facing him and ran her fingers through his dark, curly hair. "You didn't ruin it. I only care about spending the day with you."

He gently pressed his lips against her forehead. "I couldn't ask for anything better." He continued to run his fingers across her bare skin, his fingertips dancing across her belly button.

Aria smiled and nestled her head into the crook of his neck. "I lied. I love you more than I love Bee." They lay comfortably for a minute, until she gasped as she felt his fingers drift below her belly button, reaching underneath her panties. She creased her eyebrows and looked him in the eyes, wondering what the hell he was doing.

He only had one explanation. "_Good thing I have one good arm._"

* * *

**First of all, happy super belated birthday to one of my best friends, Hannah! And I'm going to copy her and tell you that you must read her stories, but you probably already are because she's amazing. (Thin Skin and Barely Bone is my personal favorite.)**

**Thank you so much for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows. I'm in awe that this story has received such a reaction. **

**I also love love love Disha and Nirja and found a way to include them in this chapter. FINALLY.**

**Some of you have complained that Aria needs to get over the miscarriage, and I'd like to say that I disagree. Yes, she is slowly coming to terms with it, and she is much better than she used to be, but I don't think suffering a miscarriage is something someone just forgets after one month. Obviously it's different for everyone, BUT for Aria, it hit her hard.**

**I started a story called Where We Started. It was originally a one-shot (like this one) but I think I'm going to continue writing it. Check it out if you want.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! **


	20. Chapter 20

_"When you need to leave Rosewood...Ezra"_

Aria read the pen-written words on the first page of _Winesburg, Ohio_, breathing a sigh of relief that she finally found what she was looking for. She was perched on the edge of her bed, rereading the words over and over. Boxes, clothes, irrelevant books, littered the floor below her—all evidence of her frantic search to find the book ten minutes prior.

She didn't really want to leave Rosewood—and if she did, it wouldn't solve her problems. Lately, she wanted to leave her own mind and live in the head of a simple-minded child, ignorant to the realities and responsibilities of her own life. She shut the book and clutched it in her arms, hugging the priceless pages, prepared to never let it leave her sight again.

"Aria," Byron said from the door, "it's nice to see you." He said it in a neutral tone, like he was talking to a colleague or the cashier at the 24-hour convenience store downtown. Not his daughter.

Her heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes drifted to the door. "Yeah, I just needed to pick up a book for school," she lied. It hadn't felt like her house lately. Her father had been far too distant, their conversations incredibly awkward. And a month after _that night_, she found herself sneaking into her own house to find the first gift Ezra had given her. She was driven by desperation to read seven simple words inscribed on the front page of a book, evidence that he loved her since day one at the bar.

But Byron's eyes were different, as if they didn't belong to him, or _she didn't belong to him._ The protective, nurturing gaze of her father was replaced with anger, disappointment, _shame. _She didn't feel like his daughter anymore, and she assumed it was because he felt the same.

"I have to go to Spencer's." She jumped off the bed and rushed by him, running down the stairs and out the door. But she wasn't going to Spencer's.

* * *

If resting on the couch was difficult with an overprotective girlfriend in the room, it was twice as difficult with an overprotective girlfriend _and _ex-girlfriend in the room. Ezra's leg rested on top of the coffee table as Aria took care of him—a damaging blow to his pride. Aria sat next to him, her hand on his knee, while Malcolm and Maggie sat across on the chairs. The small, misfit family played a game of _Go Fish. _

"I'm thirsty," Malcolm whined, throwing his cards on the coffee table.

Ezra was about to get up when Aria threw her arm in front of his body and pushed him back. "You're not going anywhere unless I say you can," she demanded. "Malcolm, I'll get you a juice box."

"Yes, _Mom_," Ezra said sarcastically, watching Aria walk towards the fridge to grab a juice box. "Actually, no, my wonderful, supportive mom probably would've made me hike up a mountain with two broken legs, so..."

Aria tossed Malcolm a juice box and stood behind the couch where Ezra was sitting. She placed her hands in the back of his shirt and slowly rubbed his shoulders. "Your ankle needs to heal so we can enjoy ourselves in New York."

"Aria's right, Ezra," Maggie added, "unless you want her to push you around New York in a wheelchair..."

Aria wasn't necessarily thinking about the _walking _part of the trip, more like the hotel room activities—but she didn't really want to drag him around New York on a sore ankle either, now that she thought about it.

"I'd never make her do that." Ezra rested his head on the back of the couch and looked at Aria from an upside-down angle, a childlike pout on his face. Aria leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "You're such a baby sometimes," she teased, shaking her head. She returned to her spot on the couch, leaning into his side with her arm wrapped around his.

Maggie laughed. "You should've seen what a baby he was when I drove him to the hospital last week," she told Aria. "I think I saw a few tears."

Aria looked at Ezra, narrowing her eyes, hoping he'd sense her disapproval in the situation. _Maggie drove him?_ _Did she also push him down a flight of stairs? _In reply to her silent questions, he just shrugged.

Malcolm joined in on the teasing as he sipped his juice box. "I thought about carrying him to the car, but I didn't want to get crushed if he fell on me."

Everyone laughed, except Aria. She was still thinking about the fact Maggie brought Ezra to the emergency room. That was _her _job as the girlfriend, not the job of the baby mama. Of course her and Maggie were _okay _now, but it would be impossible to put the jealousy aside and accept Maggie taking over her duties.

"You're my son, so you probably would've had the muscles to carry me," Ezra pointed out. He leaned away from Aria and flexed his good arm, which elicited a giggle from Malcolm.

Maggie shook her head and laughed. "Says the guy with the sprained ankle and broken arm. Malcolm obviously got his super-hero strength from his mother."

Ezra surrendered, lifting his arm in defeat. "You're probably right. I wouldn't be able to do a fraction of the moves I've seen him do in karate."

Aria leaned back against the couch, listening as Ezra and Maggie discussed what Malcolm did and didn't inherit from his parents. A normal conversation two people would have, but one she couldn't—and shouldn't—contribute to.

"_Winesburg, Ohio_?" Maggie changed the subject and pointed to the book on Ezra's kitchen table, the one Aria had placed several hours before. "I remember when we read that in high school, Ezra. Right before we—" She cut herself off, then directed her attention to Aria. "Were you assigned to read it, too?"

Aria shook her head and tried to smile. "No, that's mine. I read it for pleasure," she bit her lip, "_on my own_." She didn't need to be assigneda book to enjoy it as Maggie suggested. It was her precious security blanket, or a symbol of Ezra's love, not a book _assigned by her English teacher_. Okay, so maybe it was assigned by her English teacher, but not the one Maggie implied. Aria turned red, feeling as if Maggie had interrupted an intimate moment, rather than asking about a few-hundred bound pages.

"Are you okay?" Ezra asked, looking at Aria with genuine concern.

"Fine," she told him quickly.

Ezra wasn't convinced. He continued looking at Aria with a questioning glance, until Maggie announced it was time for her and Malcolm to go. As soon as they said their goodbyes and left, he returned to their conversation.

"Aria, is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," Aria smiled, her eyes wide. "Why would you think that?"

Ezra raised an eyebrow and looked directly at her, shocked that she would attempt to lie to him. He knew her far too much for that game. "I know when you're lying to me. I've seen you try to keep your composure as A threatened to _kill you_."

Aria shook her head. "Ezra, I promise—"

He didn't want to hear another excuse. He was sick of hearing excuses, of being the last person she told her secrets to. "If we get married one day, are you still going to hide everything from me? Go to your friends and—"

"I saw my dad today," she blurted out, interrupting him mid-sentence. She took a deep breath. "And then I ran away from him."

Ezra lowered his eyebrows in puzzlement. What was so important about seeing her father? "I don't understand. Are you having problems with him again?"

Aria bit her lip and nodded, her eyes cast down on her fingernails. "Because we haven't talked very much since..."

He didn't understand why she trailed off, then realized what she didn't want to say. "Oh." He took a deep breath and attempted to calm down before he went on a tangent about what a horrible person Byron Montgomery was. "Are you telling me that he's..._mad _at you? Or me? Even after you went through that?"

Aria shook her head, still refusing to look at her boyfriend in the eyes. "No. I think he's ashamed."

He didn't say it out loud, but the tangent about Byron Montgomery and his evil ways continued in his head. After everything Aria's been through, Byron had the nerve to be ashamed. Ashamed of the most treasured woman in Ezra's life.

"Ezra, please forget I said anything," she pleaded, "I don't want to start anything else."

Ezra nodded and put his arm around his girlfriend; there was no way he was going to keep his promise. He constantly asked himself how it was possible for someone to not be head-over-heels in love with Aria Montgomery.

There wasn't an option in the matter.

* * *

The following morning, the bathroom was filled with a steamy mist as Ezra took his morning shower. The loud drone of the shower tuned almost everything out, causing Ezra to be surprised when he heard Aria's voice inside the room.

"Hey babe," she yelled so he could hear over the shower, "I just wanted to see you before I went to school." She leaned on the sink and lifted herself to sit on the countertop, swinging her legs in front of her.

"Good, because I wanted to ask you a question," Ezra shouted. "Maggie wanted to know if I could pick Malcolm up from school today, but I wanted to get this freelance project done before we left for New York and I shouldn't be driving anyway—"

"It's no problem. I can do it." Aria smiled and continued to swing her legs in front of her, genuinely cheerful. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so excited to go to New York for an entire five days, just you and me," she beamed. "I miss you."

Ezra chuckled from inside the shower. "I'm right here, Aria. Behind the shower curtain. I'm not Oz."

Aria's cheerful demeanor transitioned to a hint of sadness. "_I miss us._"

A silence hung in the air for several moments, until Ezra replied. "I do too."

Aria's smile returned to her face, and suddenly she had the urge to pee, but she couldn't possibly pee while he was in the room. "Are you almost done? I have to pee."

"I've seen you naked before, Aria, I think you can pee while I'm taking a shower." When Aria didn't reply, he added, "or you can pee in the puke bucket you already christened? It's under the sink. You might want to close the curtains."

Aria groaned and jumped off the counter. "Don't look."

Ezra laughed to himself, trying to tune out the nearly-silent trickle of the toilet as Aria relieved herself. He cursed himself for thinking it was cute, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm going to run to the store to get a few things for the trip, do you need anything?" Aria asked, presumably still on the toilet.

"No, but take my credit card and buy what you need," he demanded, fully prepared to treat Aria on the trip, whether it was a Broadway show or travel-sized shampoo. "It's in my wallet."

Aria flushed the toilet and moved to the sink to wash her hands. "I brought you some coffee and muffins. They're on the kitchen table." She wiped her wet hands on Ezra's bathrobe hanging on the back of the door. "I need to get going so I'm not late for class."

"Give me a proper goodbye before you leave."

It was something Ezra said often—an inside joke between the couple. She stuck her head in the shower, risking the destruction of her carefully curled hair, and waited for Ezra to give her a goodbye kiss. When they pulled apart from the kiss, Ezra deviously put a few suds in her hair.

"Ezra!" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"I love you," Ezra reminded her before he shut the curtain in front of her angry face. And Aria went to school with suds in her hair.

* * *

At 3:30, Aria pulled up alongside the curb outside Malcolm's school thirty minutes away in Delaware. Her friends often teased her about being, what they called, a "stepmother at 17," but today she _really _felt like one as she made her way inside Malcolm's school to dismiss her future "stepchild."

"I'm here to pick up Malcolm Cutler," she told the secretary in the front office. The one with scowl on her face who shouldn't be working with children in any context.

The woman squinted her eyes, inspecting Aria from spiky shoes to spiky headband. "Are you his sister?" she asked.

"No, I'm his," she hesitated, "I'm his father's girlfriend. Aria Montgomery. It should be written on the note his mother gave to you?"

The woman shuffled through some papers, and looked back at Aria, still skeptical as to her youthful appearance. "Oh, you're right, it does say that." The woman promptly left the office and returned with Malcolm following her.

When the small boy saw Aria, he ran towards her and engulfed her in a hug. "My mom didn't tell me you were picking me up today."

Aria released herself from the hug and took Malcolm's hand, leading him outside to the front of the building. "Well, then...surprise! Aria is picking you up today." Malcolm giggled.

They walked to Aria's car parked on the curb, but before Malcolm got in the backseat, he shyly waved to a little blonde girl getting into her mother's car. He blushed and looked at his feet, forgetting to get in the car.

"Who's that, Malcolm?"

"Shhh!" Malcolm shushed Aria, glaring at her. "She might hear you."

Aria raised an eyebrow and waited until Malcolm got into the car, then helped him buckle his seatbelt. "Can you tell me when we're driving?" she whispered into his ear. Malcolm nodded vigorously.

They started driving to a nearby Target to give Ezra some extra time to write before they arrived at his apartment. The ride was quiet for only a few seconds before Aria started the interrogation. "Who was that girl you waved to?"

"That's my friend, Hannah," Malcolm explained, staring out the window at the trees and houses. "She's in my class and goes to karate with me."

"I have a friend named Hannah, too." Aria smiled at him in the rearview mirror.

"No, Aria, she's not just my friend. She's special. She's my _best _friend." It was an important clarification. Aria couldn't possibly have a friend as special as Malcolm's Hannah.

Aria bit her lip as she tried to hold back her laughter. "Kinda like how I'm your dad's best friend?"

Malcolm scrunched up his nose in utter disgust. "Ewww!" he squealed. "We don't kiss!"

Malcolm recovered from Aria's assumption in the backseat, likely trying to erase the thought of kissing a little girl. After a few moments, he spoke up.

"But she is really pretty, just like you," Malcolm added proudly.

Aria knew exactly what Malcolm inherited from Ezra—and Maggie could not debate this aspect.

* * *

Ezra stood on the Montgomery porch alone, a task that he was not all that accustomed to—_especially_ in the past month or so. He exhaled a deep breath and lifted his fist to the oak door, knocking three times. When no one answered, he turned around, a sense of relief washing over him. _He had an excuse to push this off._ He hobbled back to the car on his crutch and was about to leave when he heard his name being called.

"Ezra?" Mike called to him, standing at the front door. "Wait."

Ezra turned to face Mike and smiled, giving him a fake sense that he was completely confident and not scared shitless of the man who used to hate him, and who probably _did_ hate him after getting his underage daughter pregnant. It was like he walked around with the scarlet letter declaring to the universe that he was having sex with his former student.

"Hey Mike, is your dad around?"

Mike nodded and moved to the side of the door, gesturing for Ezra to come in. "Yeah, he's in the office."

Ezra followed Mike inside and down the hall, where Mike pointed to Byron sitting at his desk, looking over a stack of papers in the dimly lit room.

"Dad, Ezra's here and he wants to talk to you," Mike told him from the door.

Byron looked at the doorframe holding the two young men, lowering his eyebrows. "Ezra? What are you doing here?" He looked at his arm and leg. "And what happened to you?"

Ezra couldn't determine if there was a hint of anger in Byron's voice, or an evil satisfaction that he was injured, but Ezra knew one thing—he would have to try as hard as he possibly could to mask his _own _anger. How could this man treat his only daughter in such a way that would make her uncomfortable in her own home?

"I wanted to talk to you about something," he replied, remaining vague as Mike was still in ear shot. "About Aria."

* * *

Aria and Malcolm walked through the obnoxiously bright-red Target, looking for a few necessary items on her list before she headed to New York. After fifteen minutes, the first-grader got tired and irritable, as most children do. He sat on the dirt-covered floor.

"Hold onto the cart, please," Aria instructed, browsing the shampoo bottles. "The floor is dirty." She picked up a small purple bottle and threw it into the red cart, then headed to the deodorant. It was odd to be alone in the store with Malcolm, acting as his parent.

"Are you almost done? I want to see Dad," Malcolm whined, still sitting on the floor. "I'm bored and hungry."

Aria picked up a travel-sized toothpaste from a shelf and tossed it into the cart. "If you let me finish shopping, I'll buy you a snack. Get off the floor." She was starting to get annoyed, and her tone of voice wasn't hiding the fact.

Malcolm stood up and put one hand on the bright red plastic as he was told. Aria pushed the cart down the aisle with Malcolm walking alongside her.

"I just want to see if they have some sweaters for your dad, and then we can go."

"You said you were almost done," Malcolm pouted.

The two of them found their way to the Men's Clothing section and Aria began browsing through the inexpensive clothing, looking for a new sweater for Ezra to wear in New York. She didn't expect to find much—it was Target, after all—but he only seemed to wear hoodies or t-shirts and nothing in between lately. Aria picked up a decent maroon v-neck sweater and held it up.

"What do you think, Malcolm?"

But Malcolm wasn't holding onto the cart.

"Malcolm?" she called, beginning to panic. "Malcolm!?"

He wasn't sitting on the dirty floor, but she wished he were. _Why couldn't he be sitting on the disgusting floor?_

"This isn't funny, Malcolm," she shouted frantically, her voice shaky and scared. She abandoned the cart and began searching the store, calling his name in hysterics.

* * *

"Come in, take a seat," Byron directed, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

Ezra entered the room and shut the door behind him, taking the seat across from Byron. and placing his crutch against the desk. He nervously rubbed the palms of his hands against the top of his legs. He felt his phone vibrate from inside his pocket, signaling an incoming call. It was best to ignore it.

Byron talked first. "How's Aria?" he wondered. "She hasn't been..._around_ very much. I guess she prefers to spend time with her mother, I take it."

Ezra sighed and shook his head, looking down at his lap. "Byron, we both know why she hasn't been around much." A sternness overtook his voice, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't accept anyone hurting the woman he loved so much.

"I'm not sure what you're implying, Ezra," Byron replied.

"To answer your first question, Aria is okay," Ezra snapped, his eyes full of anger, "but every once in awhile she's not, and I don't know how to help _her_ when no one is helping _me._"

Ezra was surprised to see pure sadness appear on Byron's face—not anger. He wasn't going to accuse Ezra of being an idiot and getting his daughter pregnant. He wasn't going to find another way to tear them apart. But perhaps most perplexing, the sadness seemed to have been there for longer than five minutes. Like it had been there for days, or even weeks.

"I just want to know why she's been avoiding her own house, Byron," he rephrased his statement, hoping to get an answer. A long, awkward silence filled the room. He raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer. "Mr. Montgomery?"

"Ezra, I—" he stumbled over his words, "I don't know how to help her either, and it scares me."

The clock seemed to tick twice as loud in the room as each second passed.

"I'm supposed to be her parent. I'm supposed to help her get through _anything_." Byron shook his head and took his eyes away from Ezra, looking at a framed photo on his desk of himself holding Aria as a baby. "I can't even imagine the pain that comes with losing a baby. My baby girl lost a _baby._"

Ezra's good hand went to the back of his neck, scratching a scratch that didn't exist. "Pretending that it didn't happen doesn't erase what _did_ happen, Byron."

"I know," he admitted, his eyes welling up as he remembered _that _night. "I went to her room and stood over her bed, in the same room she grew up in." He took a deep breath, struggling to recall the events, although he didn't forget a single detail. "I got rid of the sheets, and I wish by throwing away the sheets—I could also throw away the pain." He wiped a tear from his cheek. "But I can't. And I don't even know how to talk to her now...about anything."

The tension in the room was lifted by Ezra's phone buzzing from inside his pocket. He pulled it out and opened a text from Aria.

"_I need you. Please call me."_

Ezra stood up. He wasn't angry anymore—he was actually quite understanding of the situation; even he knew how difficult it was to talk to Aria. "Aria needs me, so I have to go." He started walking to the door, but turned around before he left.

"And she needs you too, Mr. Montgomery."

* * *

"Miss, it's okay, he's probably playing with a toy he found or something. Calm down. We'll find your son."

Aria paced back and forth in front of Target, an employee by her side attempting to soothe her. A group of employees looked at her strangely from behind the customer service desk. "He's not," she cried, "_my_ son."

Ezra rushed through the front door—or as fast as he could with a sprained ankle—and immediately found Aria. "Where was he last?" he asked, out of breath. "How did you lose him?"

Aria grabbed the hand on Ezra's good arm and lead him to the back of the store, near the Men's Clothing. "I'm so sorry, Ezra. I shouldn't be left with children, ever." She stopped when she spotted the same maroon sweater, dropped on the floor beside the clothing rack. "We were right here. I turned around for three seconds, and he disappeared."

A rustle was heard from behind them, as if it came from the inside of a clothing rack. _The inside of a clothing rack. _Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Boo!"

Malcolm emerged through the inside of a circular rack of pants, in a hysterical fit of giggles. Aria's eyes grew wide. Ezra smirked and looked at her.

"I scared you!" Malcolm beamed. "I scared you!"

Aria sighed and collapsed into Ezra's arms, holding onto his waist. "I don't want to do this anymore. I can't be his other mom. _I can't be a mom._"

Ezra held her and rubbed his hand up and down her back. "Don't say that," he whispered softly, kissing the top of her head, "Tomorrow we'll go to New York and you'll get a chance to breathe. I promise."

* * *

The sacred ground was meant for no one but Aria and Ezra, a space that was their own, a secret garden that held its own secrets, scandals, and most importantly—love. But tonight, the sacred ground was simply a bed, and Aria and Ezra weren't alone. They lay against the pillows, Ezra's good arm wrapped around Aria, his bare feet playing footsies with hers. Between them, Malcolm rested his head on Aria's chest, fighting to stay awake as he and his father's girlfriend took turns reading from _Peter Pan_. It was comfortable—a little _too_ comfortable for Aria. And for an unknown reason, a hint of guilt sat beside her.

Aria could feel Ezra's eyes on her while Malcolm read, causing her to blush. Her fingers delicately flipped to the next page and she took her turn to read. "_You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where—" _She paused, feeling a second set of eyes on her from below. Malcolm and Ezra were both staring at her in true adoration, as if she had a boyfriend and a _mini boyfriend_. And her mini boyfriend happened to be quite comfortable on her _chest. _"What?" she asked, directing her attention at Malcolm.

"I'm glad my dad has you," Malcolm murmured sleepily, fighting the sudden weight of his eyelids, "but I'm glad I have you too." Apparently hiding in clothing racks was exhausting for a seven-year-old.

Aria smiled, looking between the two boys. She had to suppress her laughter. "I'm glad I have _both _of you," she replied. She rested her head on Ezra's shoulder, Malcolm still between them.

Ezra held Aria a little tighter in his arm, twirling the ends of her long hair around his fingers. "Glad doesn't begin to describe how I feel."

She leaned closer and kissed him softly on the lips as a silent thank you. They both looked down and realized Malcolm had fallen asleep.

"I was wondering why we didn't hear a 'Yuck!' coming from between us," Ezra chuckled. He brushed his lips against the tip of her nose, then bent down to kiss Malcolm's forehead.

Aria pulled away and climbed off the bed, careful not to wake Malcolm. The small boy shifted as his human pillow left him. Aria eyed Ezra's cast on his arm. "I'll carry him to the couch."

Ezra nodded and looked at Malcolm sleeping beside him. "That's probably a good idea."

She carefully cradled Malcolm in her arms as if he were a small baby, and she found herself staring at his round face. She'd never tell Ezra that Malcolm caused her heart to feel like lead, weighed down by the death of her own baby. It only happened in moments like this, in moments when she was just so happy—that she was sad.

She rested Malcolm on the large couch and grabbed a blanket from the end of the bed, draping it over his sleeping body. Her hand reached for his face, gently tracing the outline of his cheeks in a nurturing manner. And as if driven by instinct, she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the cheek. The angel around her neck had the same heavy weight as her heart, and she found herself grasping it between her fingers, a sense of betrayal overwhelming her. What if her baby didn't want her to love someone else?

Ezra cleared his throat from the bed, trying to bring her from the painful thoughts that have caused her to remain frozen over the couch. He knew. "Are you coming to bed?"

"Hmm?" Aria turned around, snapping out of her trance. "Of course." She forced a smile and walked over to the bed, climbing in next to him.

He immediately pulled her back against his chest in a spooning position. "Aria," he hesitated, not wanting to upset her, "you know, you're going to be an incredible mother one day."

Aria pulled away for a moment to grab the teddy bear from the bedside table. She held it tight in her arms—as if she were protecting it—feeling the soft cotton of the worn gray t-shirt stitched to its stomach. "I hope so," she choked out. Salty tears dropped from her wet eyes, directly onto the pillow below her.

Ezra held her even tighter than she held the bear, even with one broken arm—as if he were protecting her. He kissed the top of her head, then moved his lips to her ear, whispering the words from Peter Pan she nor Malcolm finished. "You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always love you. That's where I'll be waiting."

The words travelled from Ezra's mouth, but Aria knew they were sent from someone else. They were sent from their baby.

* * *

**My mom told me that my brother actually did the exact same thing in a store when he was little. She was frantic and searched everywhere, and he popped out of a clothing rack as if he were playing hide and seek. AND I brought my 5-year-old cousin shopping this weekend, and she did the same thing to me...although I knew exactly what she was doing, so I didn't panic. (AND I PLANNED THIS CHAPTER BEFORE SHE DID IT.) I guess it's a thing.**

**This story will be over in a 3-5 chapters. Question: Sequel or completely new story? If I do a new story, I'll add an epilogue to this story.**

**Thank you Hannah for your help with the ending. You're amazing and I don't know what I would do without your input.**

**Follow me on Twitter sleepnthehrding! Also follow ezriagame, which I run with a few other people. We tweet Ezria things we want to see on the show. And it's awesome.**

**Thanks for the reviews and PLEASE REVIEW AS ALWAYS! ! ! ! Suggestions are appreciated.**

**p.s. no complaining about Aria not getting over the miscarriage, please. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Warning: A scene may be on the edge of M-rated. You'll know it when you get to it. But it's really not...intense at all. So if you love M stories, don't get your hopes up. If you don't like them, don't worry. Parental Guidance Not Suggested.**

* * *

Aria pulled a large navy blue suitcase from underneath the bed in the guest room and placed it on top of the bed, carefully unzipping it. Nearly two months prior, she used the same suitcase for her and Ezra's short getaway to the family cabin—but this trip was different. While the cabin served as some relief away from the stresses of reality, the trip to New York lifted an enormous weight from her shoulders, allowing her to escape into an entirely different universe and just _forget _for a few days. Or that's what she imagined.

She stood in front of the closet and perused through the dozens of dresses, trying to reach a compromise between the chilly weather and bold fashion statements. It would likely turn out to be the most difficult part of the planning, as she was not willing to sacrifice fashion for comfort. Her decision-making process was interrupted when Ella cleared her throat. She was standing against the doorframe, her arms crossed against her chest, her face indicating that Aria wasn't about to love what she had to say.

"I'm still not sure how I feel about you going to New York with Ezra for so long, after everything you've been through lately..." Ella sighed, knowing she probably wouldn't get her way. "Why don't you stay in Rosewood? Watch movies all day. Eat junk food."

Aria tossed a black cardigan into her suitcase and turned to face her mother. "Do you _still _not trust him?"

Ella moved into the room and took a seat on the bed. She hesitated a moment before speaking. "Aria, can you really expect me to trust him one-hundred percent? I had just started to warm up to the idea of you two, and then..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

"I got pregnant?" she asked. "You can say it, Mom. It's with me every day, you're not saving me from pain by skirting around the word."

Ella smiled and put a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. "I don't want him to hurt you again."

Aria huffed and rolled her eyes. "I feel like you change your mind every day. Please, just give him a chance to prove you wrong."

Ella wasn't given a chance to answer as a knock was heard at the door of the small apartment.

"That's probably Ezra. Don't scare him away." Aria raised an eyebrow before exiting the room towards the door, Ella following behind her.

"Hey babe," Aria greeted, opening the door. She stood on her toes and put her arms around Ezra, pecking him lightly on the cheek. "I just need to finish packing and we can head out."

Ezra nodded and followed Aria to the bedroom. While he decided to ditch his crutch, his arm was still in a cast—but at least it was out of the sling. "Don't take too long. We need to check in by three or they might give our room away." His eyes immediately went to Aria's nearly empty suitcase. "Aria..."

"I'm almost done."

Ezra chuckled nervously. "You spend an hour trying to decide what to wear to school for _one _day. I can't imagine how long this is going to take you."

She glared at Ezra. "Twenty minutes tops if you don't distract me." She raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer. Ezra nodded and sat on the bed next to the suitcase. "Do you want me to help?" he offered.

Aria smiled and bit her lip, pretending to give it thought. "I have my bras and underwear in a bin underneath the bed?" She smirked. "Pick out a few pairs."

"On it." He slid off the bed and kneeled in front of the bed, pulling out a plastic bin full of underwear. "Any color or style preference?"

Aria shook her head. "It's up to you."

In 25 minutes, Aria's suitcase was full of several outfits, complete with Ezra's favorite bras and panties. She placed a pair of boots on top and closed it, then paused before she pulled the zipper. "One more thing."

Ezra rolled his eyes and watched as Aria walked around the bed. "You've already taken five extra minutes," he reminded her.

"Only because you kept asking me for my opinion on underwear." She reached across her pillow and grabbed the teddy bear and tossed it into the suitcase. "All set."

Ezra smiled and let out a small laugh. "That bear is such a...what do you call Malcolm sometimes?" he thought for a moment. "A _cockblock_."

"You gave it to me. It means a lot," she replied. "So, if you're embarrassed about the stuffed animal that your girlfriend is holding, it's your fault."

"Not embarrassed," he clarified. "More like jealous."

Aria smiled and zipped the suitcase. She picked it up and placed it on the ground in front of the bed.

"And a _little_ embarrassed," Ezra teased.

Aria raised an eyebrow and pushed Ezra, causing him to fall back on the bed. She bent down to unplug her phone charger from the electrical outlet, when she suddenly felt Ezra's good arm grab her by the waist, pulling her down on top of him. He looked her in the eyes, a devious grin across his face. "Why would you push your injured boyfriend like that?"

"Ezra," she scolded, "let me go."

He shook his head and pressed his lips against hers, gently sucking her bottom lip. "Maybe we should get going," he whispered softly, his breath fanning against her skin. "But I can't move with you on top of me."

Aria jumped up at the sound of the door creaking behind her. She kneeled between Ezra's legs and stumbled off the bed, glaring at her boyfriend. He sat up, his face turning red as Ella stood before them.

"I didn't mean to, uh, _interrupt_." Ella was equally as embarrassed, with a hint of anger and disappointment in her eyes. She put on arm on her hip. "Ezra, please be careful and drive safely. Don't leave her side," she instructed. "Lose my baby girl, and you'll lose your life. Understand?"

Ezra nodded. "Under-"

"Relax, Mom. I'm almost 18. I can take care of myself." She crossed her arms confidently in front of her. "Ezra is my boyfriend, not my chaperone."

Ella sighed heavily. "Aria, a year ago, he _was _your chaperone."

"Touché," Ezra added, breaking the standoff between Ella and Aria. "I'd never lose her. I promise."

* * *

It was 1:45 when Ezra opened the door of The Pod Hotel, holding it as Aria walked passed him with her suitcase. It wasn't exactly what Aria had imagined when Ezra told her he booked a hotel in Manhattan; the walls, the floor, the front desk—everything—were blindingly white with neon-colored accents. Yellow and orange couches sat in the lobby, modern art hung on the walls. It was as if they stepped inside an Apple commercial—even more so when Aria spotted the iPads lining the wall near the elevator.

"This hotel doesn't exactly scream 'Ezra Fitz,'" Aria murmured as they walked to the front desk. "I feel like we're stuck inside an iPod...from 2005." She raised an eyebrow.

Ezra looked at her and smiled. "I didn't think so, either, until I realized it was $100 cheaper than the other hotels in the area. You _insisted_ on paying half, so you only have yourself to blame."

Aria grabbed Ezra's hand and interlaced her fingers with his. "I didn't say it wasn't my style. I think it's...interesting?"

"Good."

A 20something man with short, perfectly styled brown hair and white teeth (that seemed to match the walls) stood behind the front desk. "Are you checking in?"

Ezra put his suitcase down and nodded. "Yes, it's under Ezra Fitz."

"I need your credit card and ID. Is she a minor?" He pointed to Aria.

"No, she's 18." Ezra released Aria's hand and slipped his wallet out of his pocket. He located his cards and placed them on the desk.

Aria stood beside him, not daring to make a face that suggested her boyfriend was lying—and lying _really _well.

The man nodded and proceeded to type on the computer in front of him. After a moment, he handed Ezra his cards. "Room 826. Eighth floor. Here are your key cards. Sign this and you're all set."

Ezra signed the receipt. "Thank you."

The lobby was white, but the elevators were glass, making it possible to see the guests in the other elevators. It was as if they were either trying to _promote _elevator PDA, or _reduce _elevator PDA—Aria couldn't decide which. They reached the eighth floor and located their room at the end of the college dorm-room like hallway.

"Here's our room." He slid the card through the slot on the door, pushing it open.

"I like the sound of that. _Our_ room," Aria smiled, then looked at what sat before her. "Or maybe 'our closet' would be a better description." She stepped into the tiny room and rested her suitcase on top of the bed. "I didn't think it was possible for anything to be smaller than your apartment."

The hotel room had a queen-sized bed in the center of the modern-decorated room—and that was about it. A few feet of space surrounded the bed, and a wall of glass divided the room from the toilet and shower. _A wall of glass. _

"Maybe this is more suited to my taste than I thought." He looked at Aria with a smirk on his lips, and received a well-deserved slap on the arm. "Well, it's...cozy? And at least it's clean."

Aria shook her head and giggled, wrapping her arms around Ezra's waist. "How will I ever survive living in such close quarters with Mr. Fitz for three days? I may have to get my own room."

Ezra rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "I'll hide your purse so you can't."

"I guess I'll have to survive," Aria pouted, pulling him close. "What should we do today? It's only 2:00."

Ezra nodded, licking his lip. "I already made plans."

Aria narrowed her eyes. "And those plans are?"

"It's a surprise."

* * *

Aria scooted next to Ezra in the back of a taxi cab on their way to an unknown location. She'd been to New York many times before, but the roads the cab was driving through were unfamiliar and only intensifying her confusion. Ezra had written the address on a piece of paper and handed it to the driver, and that was that. As the cab came to a stop on the side of the street, she gave Ezra a questioning glance. He opened the door and took her hand as she stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk.

"Where are we?" Aria looked at the buildings around her, void of the typical tourists found near Times Square. Brick buildings lined the streets with a few small cafes and restaurants.

Ezra lead her to a bench on the sidewalk and sat down. She sat next to him and waited for an answer. And then she spotted it—a red sign on a light post, telling her exactly where they were—NYU. New York University. She didn't even apply to NYU. It was too...cliche. "Why are we at NYU?"

He looked at her, his knees touching hers, and anxiously cleared his throat. "I thought while we were here, we could take a look at the campus." He took her hand, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. "I know you said you were going to California or Boston, but have you considered New York? It's far enough from Rosewood, but it's not _that_ far, and it would be easier for us to see each other, and—"

"Ezra..." Aria shook her head and looked down at the sidewalk.

"Are you angry?" he asked. He was surprised, a little hurt. He thought he was helping her.

Aria bit her lip and looked at Ezra, forcing a tight smile. "I don't think so. Thank you for thinking of me. I'd love to see the campus."

Ezra breathed a sigh of relief and placed his hand on Aria's knee. "Good, because our tour starts in fifteen minutes."

* * *

Aria and Ezra stood in a group of high school students in front of the NYU library; all of them were accompanied by what seemed to be their parents. They were all excited, but Aria was far from enthusiastic about this experience. She shifted on her feet, her hand in Ezra's. "Is your hand sweaty or is that mine?" Aria asked quietly, apprehension covering her face. "Because I'm really nervous."

Ezra chuckled and bent down to whisper in Aria's ear. "There's no reason to be nervous. All you have to do is follow the group and listen. I'll be right here, holding your disgusting, sweaty hand."

A young student with a light purple NYU t-shirt and a black, unzipped jacket emerged from the library, holding a clipboard and a pile of pamphlets. "If you're here for the campus tour, you're in the right place," she shouted in a charming French accent. "I'm Justine and I'll be your tour guide!" Enthusiasm emitted from her entire body—her tone of voice, the hop in her step. It was a necessary trait to persuade a bunch of confused students. "I'm going to pass out information and campus maps, and then I'll bring you to our first stop—the library."

After a lengthy tour featuring several dining halls and cafes, the bookstore, and the library, Justine lead them through the hallway of a large academic hall. "And this is the English Department," she told the group, which had dwindled in size to Aria, Ezra, and a few other students. "This is where the classes are held and the professors have their offices. There's also a large computer lab reserved exclusively for English majors."

Ezra looked at Aria for a reaction. "What do you think so far?" he asked quietly.

Aria shrugged. "It's NYU. Of course it's amazing, but I didn't even consider this school. Why make me fall in love with the idea of something I can't have?"

Ezra shook his head and exhaled a heavy breath. "What makes you think you can't have it?"

Before Aria could respond, Justine suddenly appeared beside them. "Do you two have any questions?"

Aria shook her head and gave a friendly smile. "No, we're all set, th—"

"Are you an English major?" Ezra asked. Aria narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, pulling his hand. But he pulled back.

"Yes, I am," she replied and looked at Aria. "Are you hoping to study English as well?"

Aria nodded, glaring at Ezra from the corner of her eye. "Yeah, I am."

"I know it seems biased, but coming to NYU was the best decision I've ever made. I want to work in publishing, and it has opened me to so many different connections and internships..." she trailed off, then laughed. "I sound like an advertisement, but really."

"What's the creative writing program like?" Ezra asked.

Justine contemplated for a moment. "Wait here a second," she told them as she walked down the hallway and poked her head inside an office. A minute later, she walked towards them with an older, grey-haired man. "This is Professor Branson. He teaches the creative writing fiction class. I'll let you guys talk."

The older man extended his hand. "Professor Tom Branson." He had a welcoming, friendly smile.

Aria returned a smile and shook his hand. "Aria." She wrapped her fingers around Ezra's bicep. "And this is my boyfriend, Ezra."

"It's very nice to meet you two. I heard you have questions about the creative writing program?" He put his hands in his pockets and looked at Aria.

"Yeah, I was thinking about becoming a teacher, but I also love to write," Aria shyly admitted. "You know, on the side."

"She's extremely talented," Ezra added with a proud smile. "But I'm the only person she'll show her work too, which should be a crime considering how incredible she is."

Aria shook her head and laughed. "I'm not _that _good."

Tom chuckled at the young couple. "We have a fantastic creative writing program, especially if you decide to pursue a master's degree. If you ever want to send me your work, I'd be happy to look at it. Something tells me that your boyfriend here isn't imagining your talent." He took out a small business card and handed it to Aria. "I hope to see you in my class one day, Aria. Don't hesitate to email me." He shook their hands once more, and walked back to his office.

Aria frowned and looked at the card in her hand. "Ezra, can we go now?" She slipped the card in her purse and looked at Ezra with pleading eyes.

"Of course." He squeezed her hand and walked towards the stairs leading out of the building.

"Fake smiling to everyone around here is exhausting." She yawned as she walked down the old, stone staircase. "That was really stressful. I didn't know what to say to anyone." They descended the last few steps and made their way outside of the building, onto the sidewalk.

"Stressful? I thought it was interesting." Ezra walked to the edge of the sidewalk, looking for a cab.

"You've already graduated from college."

"You'll do fine in college." Ezra attempted to wave down a cab. "Actually, you'll do more than fine. You'll make everyone look like a complete idiot."

Aria looked down at her feet on the sidewalk. "Easy for my boyfriend to say," she mumbled.

"Did you forget I was once your teacher, too?"

The corners of her mouth turned into a smile and she looked at Ezra. "Maybe you should apply for a job at NYU, Professor Fitz."

"What?" Ezra's eyes widened. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Aria laughed, and once he realized she was joking, Ezra joined in. He leaned down and kissed her softly as a cab pulled up beside them. "Where to now, Professor?" she breathed into his lips.

"Shopping and then back to our hotel?"

"Sounds perfect. Now it's your turn to suffer," she whispered.

Ezra lowered his eyebrows. "Shopping or at the hotel?"

"I guess you'll have to see." She smirked, slipping into the backseat of the cab.

* * *

Ezra rested on the bed after a long night of shopping, where he quickly realized what Aria meant by the meaning of "suffer." He propped his injured ankle on top of a pillow in attempt to recover from the hours spent walking between oversized stores while Aria tried on what seemed like hundreds of dresses. He didn't really mind, as long as she was happy, and by the sound and looks of it, she was content with her purchases.

Aria's voice carried across the cramped room as she belted out a classic 'N Sync song from the shower. Although the glass shower was somewhat blurred, Ezra could clearly make out the outline of her body dancing to the sound of her own voice. And he was almost certain she was doing it to further enhance his suffering.

"_Don't really wanna make it tough, I just wanna tell you that I had enough. It might sound crazy, but it ain't no lie, baby, bye, bye, bye!" _

Ezra couldn't stop the laugh that escaped from his throat.

"Are you enjoying the VIP experience of my special show?" Aria shouted over the sound of the shower. "Because I sure am."

"Indeed." Ezra shook his head and chuckled. "This is precisely why I booked this room, you know."

"Well..." Aria considered for a moment, "since you brought me shopping, I could possibly upgrade you to the _ultimate _VIP Experience, where you get to perform a duet with Aria Montgomery herself."

Ezra began to unbutton his shirt. "I guess I wouldn't mind being a groupie." He pulled the shirt from his body and tossed it into his suitcase before standing up and removing the rest of his clothing. He stepped into the bathroom and opened the glass door, joining Aria in the shower.

Aria immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a deep kiss, her fingers grasping his hair. "Thank you for everything," she whispered breathily into his mouth. "I really needed this trip." Her lips returned to his in a passionate kiss as the hot water fell onto their bodies, creating small rivers against their skin towards the drain.

Ezra pulled away for a moment, both of them needing air. "No, thank _you_ for inviting me to your show." He winked, then pressed his lips onto her neck, sucking a path down her chest while his hands gently caressed her breasts. She tossed her head back against the shower, her breath becoming louder and heavier with each kiss or bite he planted. "How are you going to—" she moaned when she felt his lips between her breasts, "going to top this," she breathed, "on my eighteenth birthday?"

He reluctantly pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "I _cannot wait until_ your eighteenth birthday," he told her.

She attempted to catch her breath. "And why," she panted, "is that?"

"We can finally have sex."

Aria raised her eyebrows and looked at Ezra as if he belonged in Radley Sanitarium. "And what have we been doing for the past year? Naked leap frog? A jigsaw puzzle with body parts?"

Ezra chuckled and grabbed the back of Aria's thighs. "I'm not sure, but let's try all of the above." She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist as he lifted her, slamming both of their bodies into the glass wall of the shower.

And finally, they were grateful that the room was so cramped, the shower was transparent, and most importantly—the bed was only two feet away.

* * *

The following morning was rather lazy, neither of them having a lot of energy after Ezra's ultimate VIP experience with Aria Montgomery. Ezra had purchased tickets for the matinee of "Newsies" at 2:00, finding the tickets significantly cheaper than the 7:00 show. After a large, filling brunch at a diner on the corner, they strolled through the streets and played "tourist," browsing through souvenir shops, and taking cheesy photos in Times Square.

Ezra lay on the white hotel bed in a navy button-down shirt and slate gray dress pants while Aria got ready for the musical.

"Do you think this looks alright?" Aria stood in front of Ezra, putting on a short, black blazer over her gray, strapless dress. "I'll probably put on a pair of tights since it's pretty cold."

He pulled his eyes away from his phone and eyed his girlfriend from head to toe. "Beautiful as always."

"Thank you," Aria told him with a sweet smile. "I just need to fix my hair and put my makeup on and we can go."

Ezra nodded and returned his attention to his phone, mindlessly scrolling through his Facebook feed. He typed "_So lucky_" in the status box, then searched for a photo on his phone. He clicked "Post" and stared at the photo of himself and Aria, standing in the middle of Times Square, his arms engulfing her small body in a tight hug. She looked _so _happy—much happier than she was a few days ago when she lost Malcolm in Target. He would do anything to keep it that way, but it pained him to know that he simply _didn't know how_, and for that reason—he felt immensely selfish. He sighed and moved his gaze to the bathroom mirror, watching as Aria outlined her bright, hazel eyes with charcoal-colored eyeliner. _He loved her too much._

* * *

Ezra held onto Aria's hand in the crowded lobby of the Nederlander Theater, remembering what Ella had told him the previous morning. _Lose my baby girl, and you'll lose your life. _They moved towards the front of the line—or mass of jam-packed theater-goers—waiting to get inside the theater. He glanced at Aria to make sure she was okay, and when he knew she was, he continued to move forward until someone checked their tickets and let them in.

Aria looked wide-eyed at the beautiful interior of the theatre, taking in the intricate details that adorned every wall. She'd visited many theaters in her lifetime, each having its own beauty and charm, all of them always taking her breath away. Just like the man standing next to her.

A petite woman wearing a red vest stood in front of the aisle, her brown hair tightly pulled back into a bun. Her deep red lipstick was the only thing that distinguished her among a group of uniformed ushers. "May I see your tickets?"

Ezra held his ticket for her to see, but managed to look up at her face. "Wait, Becca?"

She moved her eyes from the ticket to Ezra. "Ezra?"

Ezra smiled and took Aria's hand, moving them to the side as not to block the crowd of people behind them. "I haven't seen you in years. I had no idea you were in New York," he exclaimed.

The young woman smiled brightly. "You knew I wanted to be on Broadway, and I guess I finally am," she laughed. "Just not yet in the aspect I'd prefer." She motioned towards the stage with her hand.

The confusion in Aria's mind soon transitioned to painful jealously in her gut. The girl was about Ezra's age, beautiful, and even smaller than she was. _I'm the tiny one, not you, bitch. _

"I'm sure you'll get there someday," Ezra assured her. He tilted his head toward Aria. "This is my girlfriend, Aria."

Becca smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Aria. How did Ezra manage to win you over? He was always such a class clown at Hollis."

_College friends. _She forced a nervous laugh. "Took awhile, but he finally convinced me. He buys me with theatre tickets and trips to New York." _Or just his hand on my ass on top of a dirty bathroom counter. _

Ezra chuckled and put his arm around Aria's shoulders. "Yes, and carrying your never-ending shopping bag around Manhattan with a broken arm. But it's worth it."

"I should probably get back to work, but I'd love to treat you two to breakfast or something. How long are you in the city?"

"We're heading home late tomorrow afternoon, but I think Aria already had—"

"Ezra and I were going to have dinner at our hotel's rooftop lounge," she interjected, looking up at Ezra. "Maybe she'd like to join us? You two can catch up." She almost couldn't believe the words coming from her mouth, but she didn't want Ezra to decline on her behalf.

Ezra wrinkled his forehead and looked at Aria, mouthing _Are you sure? _Aria replied with a nod.

"I'd love to," Becca said, "I can bring my boyfriend, if that's alright, and it can be a double date."

"Sounds great," Ezra replied. They exchanged phone numbers and Becca lead them to their fifteenth-row seats, as she was originally supposed to do.

Aria sat next to Ezra, her hand on top of his on the arm rest. The show—a sugar-coated musical somewhat based on the newsboys strike of 1899—was approximately three hours long with intermission. Her head nuzzled into the crook of his neck as she enjoyed the escape from reality. She was happy, so he was happy. And it was perfect.

* * *

The elevator was packed with couples and families on their way to The Pod Hotel's Rooftop Restaurant & Bar on the top floor of the building. And because the elevator was transparent—much like the shower—Aria noticed that the adjacent elevators were also crowded.

"We can still cancel, if you want," Ezra suggested. "We can go by ourselves."

Aria shook her head. "You've done so much for me the last few days, the least I can do is let you meet up with an old friend. It will be fun."

The door opened and the elevator emptied out. The couple waited in the elevator lobby as they waited for Becca and her boyfriend. A few minutes passed before Becca stepped out of the elevator, followed by a handsome man much taller than herself. Strange enough, he resembled Ezra in a way. Tall, thin, dark curly hair. Becca had changed into a burgundy cocktail dress, matching her lipstick far better than the ugly red vest.

Becca quickly spotted Aria and Ezra and waved before approaching them. "This is my boyfriend, Ian," Becca greeted. The four of them made brief small talk as they made their way to the restaurant's bar.

The restaurant occupied the entire floor with floor to ceiling windows. It wasn't the tallest building, so the view was mainly adjacent brick buildings, looking into office windows and apartments. The outdoor seating was closed for the winter, but the indoor seating was decorated similarly to the lobby—only much darker.

They chose a booth against the windows, each couple sitting on one side. Aria and Becca sat next to the windows, while the men sat on the outside of the booth. Ezra put his arm around Aria's waist.

A brunette waitress with a wide, very-white smile greeted the group. "Hello, my name is Madison. Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll have a vodka strawberry martini," Becca told the waitress.

_Oh, shit,_ Aria thought. She didn't think about _this_ part.

"I'll just have a Corona," Ezra told the waitress, then nudged Aria with his knee.

To lie or not to lie? What if she asked for their IDs? When Aria didn't say anything, Ian told the waitress he'd also have a Corona. Everyone looked at Aria and waited for her to order.

"I'll have a water with lemon," she mumbled, then looked across the room to avoid the inevitable questioning glances from Becca and Ian. It was too early in the evening to embarrass Ezra.

Becca interrupted the silence after Madison left the table. "Ezra, what have you been up to the past couple years?" She folded her hands on top of the table.

Ezra lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "Just jumping around different jobs. I taught for awhile, but," he looked at Aria and gave small grin, "it didn't really work out. I'm mostly doing freelance writing. It's enough."

Madison returned to the table and placed a basket of dinner rolls in the center. "Your drinks will be out soon," she told them, then walked to the bar.

"Are you still friends with Hardy?" Becca asked, then looked at Ian. "Hardy was Ezra's roommate. They were inseparable throughout college." Ian nodded.

Ezra laughed. "I rarely see him, but according to Facebook, he seems like the same Hardy. Glad to see he found a steady girlfriend." He grabbed a roll and picked a small piece off, throwing it into his mouth. He took another roll and handed it to Aria, and she accepted.

"Looks like we all found someone," Ian added, inspecting his company. "It's funny how we all think we find _the one_ while we're in high school or college, only to realize we were being naive and stupid."

Becca nodded in agreement. "When I was in high school, I thought I was going to marry this guy. But then I went away to college and my life completely changed, and we both moved on more easily than we thought." She shook her head and smiled. "It got even easier when he was tagged in this skank's photo on Facebook."

Ezra's raised his eyebrows and pointed across the table. "I actually remember when that happened. You had a lot of interesting names for him for a few days at the dining hall."

"And a week later, I forget he existed," she added, then picked up a fork and a roll. "Until now. I guess I think about him when I eat." She lifted the fork in the air and stabbed the roll.

Everyone laughed, except Aria, who tried to force a smile. She felt young and inexperienced compared to the group, like Ezra had climbed the stairs of a skyscraper and she was still struggling to find the entrance. Maybe she did go to New York with a chaperone instead of a boyfriend, as her mother pointed out.

Ezra looked at Aria and frowned, holding her a little tighter. "I think it depends. There are a lot of people who maintain relationships throughout college and life."

Becca pursed her lips. "Do you actually know any? Not on TV?"

Madison returned to the table with their drinks, handing each person their own. Aria focused on her water, sipping from the straw, thinking how she needed a drink more than anyone at the moment.

* * *

After dinner, the group moved to the lounge area and continued to chat over drinks before they said goodbye. The room had become increasingly more crowded since they arrived a few hours prior, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Ezra laughed while he and Becca recalled college stories, and Ian related their ridiculous stories to his own.

If Ezra hadn't been a tad tipsy from the multiple beers, he would've noticed Aria had been in the bathroom for well over an hour. But memory after memory, story after story, the three of them continued to laugh, ignorant to the fact Aria wasn't joining in.

By habit, Ezra looked at his watch and realized it was well passed midnight. His eyes widened in shock. "We should probably cut this short if Aria and I want to enjoy tomorrow." He looked beside him, but didn't see Aria. "Did she ever come back from the bathroom?"

"Now that you mention it, I don't think so." Becca looked around the room, but it was too crowded to find the petite girl with the dark hair. "She's probably ordering a drink, or something."

Ezra shook his head and stood up, frantically looking around him. "Her mother is going to kill me."

"I'm sorry, man, but why would you be concerned about her mother?" Ian laughed. "Relax, I'm sure she's fine. Long line at the bathroom, maybe."

"She's 17," Ezra blurted out, receiving a shocked look from both Ian and Becca.

"Seriously, Ezra?" Becca asked, crossing her arms in front of her. "Seventeen? Now I know why she wasn't drinking. I just thought she was pregnant and you two weren't ready to share." She tilted her head to the side narrowed her eyes. "But I think I asked her a couple drinks back..."

Ezra raised his eyebrows and put his hand on his head. "No, please tell me you _did not_ ask her that," he pleaded. "Becca..."

"I was just joking." She shook her head, but she was clearly confused as to why it mattered so much. "Do you want us to help look for her?"

"You look around here, I'm going to check the room," he instructed, walking off towards the elevators. "I'll text you if I find her."

* * *

The elevator ride to the 8th floor seemed to take twice as long as it had on the way up; Ezra wanted to slap the happy, cheerful people that surrounded him. He stood in front of room 826 and exhaled a heavy breath before sliding his car through the slot, desperately hoping that he'd find Aria. Out of all the possibilities that rushed through his mind, the hotel room was the only option that meant she was safe.

He pushed the door open and spotted Aria's sleeping body under the covers, quietly breathing in and out. She had already changed into Ezra's t-shirt and was clutching the teddy bear in her arms. Ezra breathed a sigh of relief and shut the door behind him, then took out his phone to send a text to Becca. A wave of guilt washed through him when he found a text in his inbox from 11:00 p.m.

_Went back to room. Don't rush back for me. Love you. _

He frowned and opened a text to Becca.

_Found Aria. She's sleeping in our hotel room. Sorry for the quick exit. I had a good time._

The text was only a polite gesture, as he was somewhat irked by Becca and her ability to unintentionally chase Aria away. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it on the floor, then stepped out of his jeans. He tiptoed around the bed and slid under the covers, carefully draping an arm over Aria. But not careful enough.

"Ezra," she murmured sleepily, still half asleep, "Did you get my text?"

Ezra ran his hand up and down her arm and pulled himself closer to her. "Just got it. I'm sorry, for everything."

Aria shook her head slightly. "Don't be sorry. I didn't want to embarrass you in front of your friends."

Ezra pressed a kiss above her ear. "There's nothing you could do that would embarrass me."

* * *

Aria and Ezra didn't discuss the evening's events once they woke up in the morning; it seemed like a long blur—though Aria wasn't drunk, and Ezra was only slightly tipsy. A part of the New York experience they probably wouldn't want to remember. They had a few more hours of blissful escape, and they didn't plan on arguing.

After visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the early afternoon, Aria found herself standing in front of a small jewelry store a few blocks from their hotel. Bisson-Morar Jewelers was sandwiched between a dirty McDonald's and an ATM, looking entirely out of place. But that's how Aria believed most things appeared in the city.

Ezra noticed Aria gazing longingly into the store. "Did you want to go in?"

Aria eagerly nodded once she noticed a bracelet in the store window. "I want that bracelet," she pointed in front of her.

Ezra held the door open and waited for Aria to walk in, then followed closely behind her. She found the bracelet she was looking for behind a glass case, with a label below it. Her eyes grew as she noticed it was $300. "Never mind. Let's go." But before she could leave, she noticed a different case—full of expensive rings. Engagement rings, to be exact. She frowned and walked a little more quickly, a pit forming in her stomach.

Ezra followed her and grabbed her arm. "What's the matter? I'll get you the bracelet, Aria. Or if you don't like it, I'll get you something else."

Aria shook her head. "I love the bracelet, but..."

"You saw the engagement rings?"

She nodded.

"Your mother would definitely murder me if you can home with one of those," he chuckled.

"I know," Aria replied, walking out of the store. Ezra followed.

* * *

Aria sat in the passenger seat of Ezra's car. They were somewhere in New Jersey and still had a couple hours remaining before they'd enter Rosewood. They had barely spoken since they left the city, and Ezra expected her to fall asleep. But she didn't.

While she thought New York would bring her to a different universe, it only brought her reality clearly into focus. Her problems followed her—and it scared her to death. New York just wasn't far enough from Rosewood.

Aria sighed and rested her head against the window. "I wish we didn't go in there."

"The jewelry store?" Ezra asked, looking at Aria for a brief second. Why?"

"The same reason I didn't want to go to NYU. Why make me fall in love with the idea of something I can't have?"

Ezra shook his head and took a deep breath, realizing she meant the engagement rings. "That's not true."

"I'm just really overwhelmed, Ezra. With college and everything..." she trailed off and looked down, placing a hand on her abdomen. "I would've been three months by now. Possibly starting to show."

"You can't think like that." He grabbed Aria's hand and held it between the center console, interlacing their fingers. "We'll have our chance again."

"Do you ever...wish I were older? So we could get married? So we could start a family _now_?" It was a concern that haunted her since their relationship had become serious, and after the previous night, it wouldn't leave her mind.

Ezra shook his head immediately. "I never think about you being any different than exactly who you are. Because I fell in love with you, not anyone else. And being with you is worth it."

"Worth what?" she asked.

"Worth everything," he promised.

Ella's words rang through Ezra's mind once more. _Lose my baby girl, and you'll lose your life. _And for once, he couldn't agree with her more.

* * *

**Becca helped me **_**a lot **_**when it came to this chapter. You probably already read her stories. AriandEzra is her name on here. So, she got her own character. And Justine did too because I love her.**

**I stayed at The Pod Hotel once. It's actually really cool—but probably not Ezria's style. Perfect for sex, though, right? They have a rooftop lounge and bar, and I changed it to restaurant and bar.**

**Sorry for the long wait. I have the remainder of the story planned out, and there will be five more chapters. I actually mean it this time.**

**ALSO...I wrote a one-shot Doubting Her Doubt in Forever, which I'm proud of...so if you want...read it?**

**PLEASE REVIEW ! ! ! ! (Pretty please with Ezra on top.)**


	22. Chapter 22

Aria and Ezra returned from their short escape from the realities of Rosewood, transitioning back into the real world of first-grade spelling tests and college decisions. As weeks passed and Ezra's ankle completely healed, the determined couple set out running on the sidewalk several times a week, preparing to honor a life that never had the chance to live. And as her role of Malcolm's "stepmother" continued, Aria found herself shuffling her feet across the dusty ground at Florence Little League Field on a late afternoon in the middle of March.

The squeals and chatter of first graders filled the air while they chased one another around the small field. Ezra held Aria's hand and lead her behind a chain link fence surrounding the small, amateur field. They quickly spotted Malcolm sitting alone on the wooden bench inside the dugout, looking mindlessly ahead at the field, while other children compared scabs and bruises.

"Hey buddy," Ezra greeted as he approached the anxious first-grader.

Malcolm's face lit up, a bright smile spreading across his face. "Dad, I didn't know you guys were coming!"

Ezra put his hand on Malcolm's head, ruffling his hair. "We thought we'd surprise you at your first game." He took a seat next to Malcolm and turned toward his son. "Are you nervous?"

Malcolm nodded sheepishly, looking at the dirt floor of the dugout. "I don't know anyone, and I never played in a baseball game before."

Aria sat on the other side of the Malcolm and loosely put her arm around his shoulders. "I've seen you practice before." She leaned a little closer and whispered in his ear. "I bet you're the best one here. You're even better than your dad."

Malcolm lifted his head and gave Aria a small smile. "You really think so?"

Ezra frowned and looked from Aria to Malcolm. "I don't like secrets."

Malcolm turned to look at Ezra and grinned. "You and Aria have secrets, so why can't me and Aria have them too? You can't _hog_ her."

Ezra chuckled and shook his head, looking to Aria as he spoke. "I guess you're right. Aria and I do have some really great secrets," he replied with a mischievous grin, to which Aria returned with a stern glare. He glanced towards the field and noticed most of the kids had left the dugout. "We better go sit down before the game starts."

Malcolm nodded, a frown returning to his face.

Ezra placed his hand on Malcolm's knee and squeezed it. "Just have fun. Your mom, Aria and I will be proud of you no matter what, okay?"

Malcolm nodded and picked up his child-sized leather baseball glove from beside him, sliding it on his hand. Aria and Ezra left the dugout and headed to the small set of white-painted wooden bleachers standing alongside the baseball field. It was mostly sparse, with a few families scattered among the rows ready to root for their children.

Aria spotted Maggie waving from the fourth row, then nudged him in the side with her elbow. Ezra grabbed Aria's hand and stepped across each row bleachers until they reached Maggie's row. They situated themselves a few feet away from her.

A gust of wind blew across the field, causing Aria to rub her hands up and down her arms. It had been warmer in the early afternoon, so Aria wore a sleeveless dress and hadn't bothered grabbing a jacket before leaving for Malcolm's game. Ezra put his arm around her and she leaned into his side, trying to escape the cool breeze.

Maggie handed Ezra a black fleece blanket. "I brought two in case you two needed one. It's always cold on this hill," Maggie offered with a friendly smile. A navy fleece blanket covered her legs.

"Thanks." Ezra accepted the blanket and draped it over the back of himself and Aria. Aria rested her head on Ezra's shoulder, their bodies now completely shielded from the harsh breeze.

"Malcolm's a little ladies man, isn't he?" Aria pointed out. She directed her eyes toward Malcolm, who had been standing next to a small blonde girl on the field. Malcolm kneeled and ripped a handful of grass from the field, throwing it in the girl's hair. The girl reciprocated the gesture, causing the two first graders to giggle. Aria squinted her eyes and realized the little girl was the famous and "special" Hannah.

"He's just like his father," Ezra replied, gazing down at Aria beside him. "I was the definition of a ladies man when I was in school."

"Really?" Aria eyed Ezra, pretending to inspect him, then pursed her lips. "I've seen your high school photos. Something tells me otherwise."

"You should've seen the girls that flocked me whenever I stepped foot in the library. While I checked out _To Kill a Mockingbird, _they checked _me _out."

Aria laughed, a bright smile forming on lips. Her smile was Ezra's favorite accessory that she owned, even more so than her lace underwear.

"Before I went to Iceland, I had this major crush on this boy who played baseball," she admitted. "I get it."

Ezra raised his eyebrows and leaned away from Aria. "Oh? Is there someone I should be worried about, Miss Montgomery?"

Aria shook her head and snuggled closer into Ezra's side. "No, then I came back to Rosewood and met you, Mr. Fitz, and I forgot he was even alive." She placed her hand at the nape of Ezra's neck, playing with the tiny hairs underneath his shirt.

After a few quiet moments, Ezra brought her head close to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss in her hair. "I may not be a baseball player, but I know how to hit another type of home run," he whispered. He placed his hand on her bare thigh, both of them completely concealed by the black blanket covering their bodies.

"Babe, don't overestimate the power of your baseball bat," Aria teased.

Ezra smirked and inched his fingers under Aria's dress, further up her bare thigh until he was dangerously close to her panties. She gasped and gripped his bicep, stopping him before he went any further. "I'd cut it out before I drag you to the backseat of the car," she cautioned through gritted teeth, giving him a warning glance. "Or before Maggie gets mad."

"I just thought that if you and Malcolm we're going to keep secrets, we could too," he sighed, withdrawing his hand. "But I guess I'll just watch the game." He winked, then wrapped his arm around her waist and focused his attention on the baseball diamond full of first graders, noticing Malcolm was about to step up to bat.

After watching Malcolm miss the first pitch, Aria looked up at Ezra and grinned. "Just like his father."

* * *

After Malcolm's first baseball game, the small dysfunctional family celebrated at a casual restaurant nearby. To Malcolm's request, Aria sat in the chair next to him, with Maggie and Ezra on the other side of the table.

"Did you see the ball that I hit, Dad?" Malcolm asked with pure excitement in his voice. He was still wearing his uniform—a red t-shirt, a pair of gray baseball pants, and black cleats. "I think I'm really close to getting a home run."

Aria wiggled her eyebrows and smirked at Ezra across the table at Malcolm's mention of a _home run._ Unfortunately, she couldn't think of the term in an innocent way any longer—just like sleeping bags and children's forts.

"You did a great job, buddy. I'm so proud of you," Ezra replied. "Who was that little girl you were playing with?"

"That's Hannah," Malcolm answered, his face turning a light shade of pink. "She's my best friend. But not like you and Aria, because I don't want to kiss her." He scrunched up his nose. "That's gross."

Maggie laughed and looked at Ezra. "Malcolm and Hannah remind me of us when we were in elementary school," she recalled. "Remember when you'd throw pebbles at me?"

Aria's stomach dropped, and subsequently, so did her face. She was beginning to dislike dinners with Ezra's old friends of the female species, ones that tend to remind her that she was merely a child compared to her boyfriend.

Ezra shook his head and looked at Aria, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I don't remember much about elementary school." He placed his hand on the back of his neck.

"Well, you liked to throw pebbles at me at recess," Maggie clarified. "And then I threw pebbles at you at track meets in high school, and then," she pointed to Malcolm and smiled, "_this_ happened."

Aria thought Maggie was done being an evil bitch, but evidently, she didn't know how. Ezra cleared his throat and reached for his iPhone inside of his pocket, attempting to change the subject. "Malcolm can you smile? I want to take a photo of your first game." He opened the camera on his phone and held it in front of Malcolm's smiling face, snapping a few photos. He missed his first steps, his first words, and his first day of school—but at least he could remember his son's first baseball game.

"Aria, can you please take a photo of me, Malcolm and Ezra?" Maggie asked, handing her phone across the table to Aria. "Malcolm, come over here and sit on your Dad's lap."

Aria forced a tight smile and accepted the phone, waiting for Malcolm to sit on Ezra's lap. Ezra attempted to apologize with his eyes, wanting to acknowledge that Maggie was being unreasonable. Was Maggie _trying_ to push Aria?

Aria held the phone in front of Ezra, Malcolm and Maggie as the waitress stopped by to give them their drinks. "Would you like me to take a photo of the four of you?" the young woman offered with a polite smile, naive to the issues she was presenting.

Maggie waved her hand in dismissal. "Thank you, but we're all set," she answered immediately.

Before the waitress could walk away, Ezra spoke up, looking at Aria as he did so. "No, I think Aria should be in the photo too."

Maggie darted her eyes between the waitress and Ezra. "Well, I suppose Aria can join, but I'd also like a _family _photo of just the three of us."

Ezra looked at Maggie wide-eyed, raising his eyebrows in anger. "Maggie, what are you saying? You're—"

"Ezra," Aria interjected, raising her voice. By this time the waitress had walked away, knowing she had gotten herself in the middle of a rather messy situation. "It's okay, I don't need to be in the photo. I already know where I stand in this picture." She motioned to the three of them on the other side of the table. "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." She stood up and pushed her chair under the table, walking towards the back of the restaurant.

* * *

Aria locked herself in a stall and sat on top of the closed toilet seat, holding her legs against her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and stared at the writing that covered the bathroom stall in a variety of colors and inks. According to the broken hearts and colorful language, it seems as if she wasn't the only heartbroken girl to find herself sitting in this stall, completely alone with her thoughts.

The small, cramped stall provided far more breathing room than the crowded table back in the restaurant, holding a family she didn't belong in. Who did she think she was? She was nothing but a teenager playing house, trying to fit into Ezra's very _real_ world. Like a puzzle piece accidentally placed in the wrong box. No matter how hard anyone tried, her story just didn't fit in perfectly with theirs.

She was tired of being the ball and chain attached to her boyfriend's foot, slowing him down with the weight of her problems. While Ezra's broken arm healed, Aria's broken heart continued to fracture—and every day felt like a battle to prevent herself from unraveling. Whenever a smile managed to spread across her face, she felt like she was lying to herself and, most importantly, she felt like she was lying to Ezra.

Maggie threw the punch that finally shattered her soul.

She exhaled deeply and chewed the inside of her cheeks, refusing to let another tear fall down her cheeks because of Ezra or Maggie. But when her fingers instinctively grasped the guardian angel hanging from the delicate chain around her neck, a fresh tear dropped onto her knee.

The bathroom door opened and the sounds of footsteps approached her stall. "Aria?" Ezra called in a hushed voice, afraid that another woman was in the room. "Are you still in here?" She saw his familiar shoes directly in front of her stall, then heard three quiet knocks. "Are you okay?"

Aria took a deep breath. "You're not supposed to be in here," she mumbled.

"It doesn't matter. You're upset and I need to fix it," he simply stated in his typical comforting voice on the other side of the door. "Can you please open the door?"

Aria didn't say a word, shaking her head even though Ezra couldn't see her. She was afraid if she said another word, she'd start sobbing. It always happened when she heard his voice.

Ezra looked in through the small crack of the door. "Please," he pleaded, "If someone walks in, they'll think I'm some kind of creep. Do you want that?" he chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. He waited a moment, hoping to hear her laugh, but instead he heard a heartbreaking sob break from Aria's throat.

He sighed and opened the door of the adjacent stall, locking the door behind him. He put the toilet seat down and sat on it. "They're waiting out there. Please talk to me so we can fix this."

Aria sniffled a few times before she attempted to speak. "I feel like I'm not part of the equation anymore. I'm just a nuisance in your little family, and Maggie confirmed it."

"Aria, _you_ are my family. You're the only real family I know."

"But what about Malcolm?"

The bathroom door opened and the sound of a woman's heels clacked along the surface of the tiled floor, forcing them to halt their conversation. She stood in front of the sinks and reapplied her makeup. Ezra lowered his hand underneath Aria's stall, silently requesting her hand. After a few seconds of hesitation, Aria interlaced her fingers with his.

With his other hand, Ezra slipped his phone out of his pocket and opened a new text message to Aria. He typed a few words and pressed send.

Her phone buzzed inside of her pocket, signaling a new text from Ezra. He squeezed her hand as she looked at her phone.

_I love you. _

* * *

Aria stood on her toes and reached for a plate of cookies on top of Ezra's fridge, but due to her small stature, she couldn't quite reach them. Ezra came up behind her and placed his hands around her waist, lifting her just enough so she could grab the cookies. When he returned her to her feet, he waited until she turned around and gently kissed her on the lips.

"Thank you," she said, placing the cookies on the kitchen table. "Do you have any juice boxes?"

Ezra nodded and opened the fridge, moving things around in search of the juice boxes he kept for Malcolm—and sometimes Aria. Malcolm and Maggie were meeting at Ezra's apartment for game night and dessert, another activity to add to Aria's _wonderful_ idea of being a big family.

It had only been thirty minutes since Aria's breakdown in the restaurant, and as usual, their relationship went back to normal as if nothing happened at all. To most, this would seem like a good thing, but to Ezra—it was terrifying. Once again, he realized he didn't know how to help his own damn girlfriend.

Aria sat on the stool next to the kitchen table. "Do I need to stay here?" Aria asked Ezra with desperate eyes.

Ezra picked up a cookie and took a bite, shaking his head. "Of course not."

Aria slid off the stool. "I think I'm going to head out, then. Hanna wanted me to help her study for our English test." She grabbed her purse from the top of the table and pecked Ezra on the lips.

"On second though," Ezra announced, grabbing her hands, "I'd like you to stay, and I'm sure Malcolm would too." He exhaled a deep breath, looking Aria right in the eyes. "And leaving isn't going to solve anything."

Aria lowered her eyebrows and looked at Ezra, a questioning glance covered her face. She removed her hands from Ezra's grasp. "Solve what?"

"This situation." He pointed to the floor, then hesitated a moment before he continued, keeping his eyes locked with hers. "If you want to be involved, you can't keep running away."

Aria nervously laughed and crossed her arms. "I don't _run away._"

Ezra raised his eyebrows and stared at her, as if she had said _I hate weird accessories _or _Spencer and I kissed last night_.

Aria sighed, realizing she was wrong. She _always_ ran away. When it came to fight or flight, she preferred the latter. "Are you angry?"

"No." Ezra shook his head. "I'm _exhausted_, Aria," he stated, pure honesty embedded in his voice for the first time in a months. "You can't run away every time you're upset. You need to talk to me so we can try to solve the problem. We're both trying to make this work, and you refuse to let me in no matter how often I beg you. Do you not trust me?"

Aria didn't answer. She looked at Ezra with a blank stare, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Can you answer me?" A long silence passed before Ezra leaned against the kitchen counter and ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head at the ground. "I already have one child to worry about, Aria," he mumbled.

"Are you implying that I'm, that I'm—a child?" Aria demanded, her arms still crossed tightly against her chest.

"I didn't say that," he replied.

"You did."

"This is exactly what I mean."

"No, I'm 'opening up to you'," she she began to shout, her voice heavy with anger, "And I'm telling you that I don't like being treated like another one of your children."

"Then stop acting like one!"

He cringed, immediately regretting the hurtful words that flew out of his mouth. He shamefully looked at the floor, then back at Aria. "I'm sorry, Aria. I shouldn't have said that."

"If you remember correctly, I almost gave you a child," she snapped. "Good thing that didn't work out, right? Because then you'd be burdened with three to worry about."

"Stop making me feel guilty for that!" he retorted. "Do you realize that I'm _also_ in pain?"

Aria shut her eyes tight as tears threatened to fall, then grabbed her purse and swung it over her shoulder.

Ezra rushed over to her before she could run out the door. He grabbed her arm, tightly wrapping his fingers around her bicep—much like Maggie had done before. "No, I'm not going to let you do this again," he demanded, staring down at her with terrorizing anger in his eyes. "You're not running away." He released her arm, and she fell back against the couch.

She carefully inched herself away from Ezra, stunned. More tears rushed down her cheeks. She'd never seen him this angry before.

He paced back and forth in front of her, running his fingers through his hair. He kicked the couch in frustration, then picked up Aria's teddy bear that had been lying on the end table. He threw it as hard as he could against the brick wall of his apartment, watching it fall to the floor. He inhaled and exhaled heavily in front of her, never once looking at anything besides the brick wall in front of him.

He didn't want to look at her. He didn't want to scare her.

It felt like hours before he looked at her again, although it had only been thirty seconds. She looked at him with a wide-eyed, innocent expression—as if she was scared of her own boyfriend. The same boyfriend who held her hand in a women's bathroom forty minutes before. And then she started to sob, harder and more intense than she'd ever cried before. But he just stared at her, as if he didn't care—or that's what it seemed to Aria. Every breath she took proved to be more challenging than the last, and she quickly started to hyperventilate. He continued to stare, until her hand flew to her chest. "Ezra," she cried, "I can't...breathe."

Ezra shook his head and snapped out of his trance. "What?"

Aria shook her head, her breathing becoming worse. "My chest hurts." Her body trembled, beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. "I can't feel anything." Her face began to turn a pale white color, and Ezra's anger was replaced with fear and overwhelming guilt for everything that just transpired.

He took a few deep breaths and sat next to Aria, placing his hand gently on her back. "You're okay, Aria. You're okay."

She tried to find air, but the room didn't seem to have any. It sounded as if she were drowning in his apartment.

"Aria, what's wrong?" he asked as gently as he could, trying to remain calm for her sake. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I don't know...I think I'm dying." She breathed heavily, her hand still over her chest.

Ezra rubbed his hand up and down her back. "You're not dying. Relax and take a deep breath." He pulled her into his arms, attempting to soothe her—but it didn't work.

A knock was heard at the door, and assuming it was Maggie, Ezra shouted for her to come in. The door opened and Maggie looked at the scene in front of her. "Is everything okay?"

Ezra turned and looked at Maggie and Malcolm with a panicked expression. "I don't know. We got into an argument, and she started crying, and now she's having trouble breathing and she said her chest hurts."

Malcolm stood by the door as Maggie ran over and sat next to Aria, taking her hand. "Aria, look at me. What's the matter?"

Aria didn't answer. She shook her head as she struggled to breath, her chest rapidly rising and falling.

Maggie put her finger over Aria's wrist and tried to feel her pulse. After a few seconds, Maggie looked at Ezra with panicked eyes. "Ezra, I'm going to call an ambulance. Her pulse is really fast."

Ezra nodded and put his arms under Aria, picking her up and cradling her on his lap. "I'm dying," Aria repeated, looking up at Ezra with terrified childlike eyes.

He knew she was being dramatic, but he was still undoubtably concerned. "You're not dying," he comforted her. "I won't let that happen."

Malcolm apprehensively approached Aria and Ezra, fear written on his face. "Dad, is she okay?"

Ezra looked between Aria and Malcolm, unsure of the proper words to comfort either one of them. "If you hold her hand, she will be."

Malcolm hesitated, then reached out and held Aria's hand.

Ball and chain or not, Ezra was willing to drag Aria for as long as he had to—as long as her happiness was at the destination. But after today, he realized he could continue dragging Aria with all the strength he had—but they still weren't going anywhere.

* * *

**First and foremost, as a Massachusetts resident, I'm truly heartbroken about the tragedy that occurred last week. I went to college/lived in downtown Boston for four years and it's unreal. I send my thoughts to anyone who was affected.**

**On a lighter note...**

**I know, I know—I'm a sucker for Ezria drama. I thought I'd finally address how some of you complain that she needs to stop crying and running away. Ezra feels you. He's sick of it too! (So I made her do it again. Oops?) Hold on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride...**

**Thank you to Florence, who provided the "home run" line. **

******Thank you for the reviews, as usual. I appreciate every one of them but I'm too lazy to thank each of you personally. Follow me on sleepnthehrding. **

**Please review! ! !**


	23. Chapter 23

If someone were to ask Ezra about the scariest moment of his life, he'd more than likely choose the five minutes he helplessly watched his girlfriend struggle for air in his tiny apartment. If only he were a doctor or if he read one freakin' book about this—he wouldn't feel like a worthless piece of shit. Instead, he held her small, trembling body in his arms as her hand clutched her chest. Few words escaped from her mouth, but her glossy, hazel eyes pleaded for someone to help. He _couldn't_ help her, he learned. Not with this, not with anything.

He'd never felt a greater sense of relief than when the EMTs rushed through his apartment door and took over. Ninety seconds passed before he was holding Aria's hand in the back of an ambulance while she rested on a stretcher. She'd calmed down significantly since a man strapped an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, allowing her to breathe more easily. Strands of chestnut-colored hair stuck to the skin of her sweaty, pale face and under the straps of the mask. Now that she was stable, it was evident that this wasn't a dire emergency. A middle-aged dark-haired man sat on the bench next to Ezra without a hint of worry in his composure. Transporting an otherwise healthy teenage girl to the hospital was likely a walk in the park compared to car accident victims and heart attack patients.

Aria's eyes explored the silver and white interior of the back of ambulance. The cramped space was quiet besides the sounds of traffic outside the walls. It was rather calm, especially compared to the painful pounding of her heart.

"How are you feeling?" Ezra asked softly, rubbing his thumb in circles on the top of her hand.

Aria's eyes moved to look at Ezra. She placed her other hand over her heart and patted rapidly, as she couldn't speak clearly with the mask over her mouth.

The creases of Ezra's mouth formed into a worried frown. "Your heart's still beating fast?"

Aria nodded and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Aria?" Ezra shook her arm and called her name in a panic.

Her eyes opened and looked at Ezra with an annoyed glare. She simply wanted to rest her eyes.

"Don't worry, sir, I think she's just having a severe panic attack," the EMT spoke with a hint of a Spanish accent, "but we need to bring her to the hospital to make sure."

Ezra turned to look at the man. "A panic attack?"

The EMT nodded. "If a patient has never experienced one before, it can be terrifying. Panic attacks mimic the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, but since she's so young, I'm going to assume it's a panic attack. I've seen it many times before. Of course there's a chance I could be wrong, which is why I'm bringing her to the ER."

Ezra nodded and returned his focus to Aria. He inhaled a deep breath and exhaled sharply before running a hand through his hair. How far would their relationship plummet before they hit rock bottom? He started to accept they'd never go up again.

* * *

An off-white curtain was the only thing separating Aria from other patients at Rosewood Medical Center's emergency room. Aria sat on an uncomfortable hospital bed, her feet dangling over the edge. A soft-spoken female doctor had checked her vitals and determined that she had, in fact, only experienced a rather severe panic attack. She would be fine, the doctor told her—at least physically. The older woman unwrapped the velcro cuff from her arm used to read her blood pressure.

"Your blood pressure is much better than it was thirty minutes ago," the woman reported with a reassuring smile. When Aria didn't reply, the doctor added, "That's good, you know."

Aria chewed her bottom lip and nodded. She looked the woman in the eyes and asked, "Why did I feel like I was dying?"

The woman gave Aria a sympathetic smile and pulled a stool close to Aria, sitting down beside her. She placed her hand on Aria's arm in a nurturing manner, as if she were her mother or Ezra. "Our minds can be powerful, Aria, and anxiety can manifest itself in physical symptoms. To put it in simple terms, your body was trying to escape from a paralyzing sense of fear. Sometimes this comes in the form of stress, in which one thing can trigger the attack."

Aria looked down at her feet and murmured, "Will it happen again?"

"It might," the woman answered, then hesitated a few moments before she continued, "Can you tell me what's going on in your life? Is something bothering you?"

Aria mindlessly grabbed the necklace that hung from her neck, twisting it between her fingers. She didn't want to open up to a complete stranger, but maybe it was better that way. "How do get over a miscarriage when you're only 17?"

The look on the doctor's face indicated she hadn't expected that to come from Aria's mouth. Bickering parents, bullying, an abusive boyfriend, perhaps. "I'm really sorry, sweetie," she finally said, taking a deep breath. "That's difficult for any woman to go through, regardless of age. No one's prepared to lose a baby."

Aria sighed and nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "My boyfriend and I were fighting when the attack happened today. He's the only connection I have to what I lost, and I don't want to lose him, too." Saying it out loud felt right, like she was finally admitting it to herself as well. "Everything in my life is changing way too fast, and I'm worried that if our relationship gets lost in the shuffle..."

"Then you'll forget the baby?" the woman finished for her, and Aria nodded. "The best advice I can give you is to always open up to the people who care about you—your parents, your boyfriend, your friends—because they love you and want to help you."

And that's why they were fighting constantly, Aria thought. It was difficult to open up when she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. "Thank you for listening," she said.

The woman stood and placed her hand lightly on Aria's shoulder. "I like to do a little more than take people's blood pressure and hold puke buckets for drunken college students," she laughed. "Remember, if this happens again, focus on your breathing. Take slow, deep breathes, in and out. You shouldn't have to come here again. Got it?"

Aria nodded and managed a weak smile. "Got it."

"If you don't mind, I'm going to talk to your parents. Just wait here."

* * *

Ezra sat in a chair in the waiting room, anxiously jiggling his leg against the pale green linoleum floor. He frequently glanced around him to find any sign of the doctor that brought Aria behind a curtain down the hall. He wasn't that worried—a nurse told him Aria was okay—but Ella was on one side of him, and Byron on the other. Both of them knew he was with her when it happened, and neither of them were talking. Byron seemed to want to escape the situation too; he left his chair and stood by the coffee machine on the other side of the room.

Ella put her hand on Ezra's knee to stop his leg from moving. "Ezra, you can relax, you're shaking my chair too."

He stopped moving and rubbed his sweaty palms over the material of his jeans. "I'm sorry, Ella."

Ella raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I'm the reason she's so stressed out," he answered with certainty in his voice, "I'm ruining Aria's life."

"I'm not going to _completely _disagree with that," Ella admitted, which did not help remove the guilt eating away inside of Ezra. He nodded and willingly took the blame. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I don't know what Aria would've done without you through all this..." she trailed off as she considered her words, "_Alison stuff._"

He perked up—but only slightly—and turned to look at Ella. "Do you really mean that?"

She sighed and looked at the wall in front of her, not wanting him to see the sincerity in her eyes. "Yes, I guess I do," she confessed.

"I screamed at her, Ella. I scared her." He looked at his lap and shook his head in disappointment. No matter how irritated he was with Aria's behavior, he knew he shouldn't treat her that way. If only he went outside and punched a wall, he would've broken his wrist instead of Aria's heart. He lifted his head to look at Ella and waited for a response.

"I yell at her sometimes, but it doesn't mean I love her any less," Ella assured him. She looked him in the eyes this time. "_People who love each other fight_."

Ezra moved his gaze to glance at Ella's ex-husband across the room, who was attempting to make a cup of coffee—rather unsuccessfully. It was obvious he continued to try in order to avoid rejoining the small group waiting for Aria.

"Byron and I were different," Ella interrupted his thoughts, knowing exactly what Ezra was thinking. "We fought _against_ each other. You and Aria fight _for_ each other."

Ezra nodded in understanding. Whenever he fought with Aria, it was generally a tug o' war against whose happiness would be sacrificed. The irony was that Ezra always represented Aria in battle, and Aria always fought for Ezra.

Byron finally managed to pour himself a coffee and started to walked towards Ella and Ezra. Ezra looked behind him and sighed when there was still no sign of Aria's doctor. "I'm going to see what's going on, if that's okay?" He stood in front of Ella.

Ella nodded. "Go ahead."

Ezra made his way down the hallway of the emergency room when he saw a woman emerge from the curtain of Aria's makeshift room holding a clipboard. She was about to walk passed him when he stopped her. "Uh...Doctor?"

She stopped and gave him a friendly smile. "Yes?"

"I'm Aria's boyfriend, Ezra."

The woman maintained her smile but eyed Ezra suspiciously—likely because he appeared to be significantly older than Aria. "Doctor Julia Baker."

"Is...she okay?"

"It might take her a few days to fully recover from the scare, but she's fine," she answered. "I just need to get a parent's signature for the discharge papers. Do you know where they are?"

Ezra pointed down the hallway towards the waiting room. "They're the man and woman with one chair and about 50 feet of tension between them. They'll both appreciate the interruption."

Julia chuckled and walked passed Ezra. "Thank you, Ezra."

Ezra continued walking down the hallway until he was in front of Aria's room. He carefully opened the curtain and smiled at Aria perched on the edge of the hospital bed. She looked much better than she had an hour ago, he realized. "Hi beautiful." He closed the curtain and pressed a kiss against her forehead before sitting on the stool beside her. "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded and gave him a faint hint of a smile. "I'm sorry for scaring you...and Malcolm. I feel really stupid now."

Ezra shook his head. "You're _not _stupid." He took her hand and interlaced their fingers. "I'm just glad you're okay and it wasn't serious."

The room fell silent as Aria looked down at the linoleum floor and frowned. For not being stupid, she sure felt stupid. Ezra cleared his throat to grab her attention. "Do you want to have our own secret?" His voice was soothing to Aria's ears.

She lifted her eyes from the floor and moved them to look at Ezra. "I think we have enough secrets, Ezra."

"We can have one more. Whenever I squeeze your hand like this," Ezra squeezed her hand as tight as he could, deeply locking his blue eyes with her hazel ones, "I'm reminding you how much I love you."

"I like this secret." A warm smile appeared on her face.

"I do too." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against Aria's, but she quickly pulled away from him. She shook her head as if she were trying to wake herself up from a dream.

"You should be mad at me."

"Shouldn't you be mad at _me_?"

Aria sighed irritably, her face turning to a pout. "You were right, Ezra. This is exhausting."

"That's because you're thinking too much, don't you think?" He raised an eyebrow in question and she shrugged. "Just kiss me." He leaned forward and kissed her gently and she deepened it by slipping her tongue into his mouth. It was almost desperate—even a little pathetic. They tried to push their problems aside, but it would take more than a tongue to lift the weight.

Aria wrapped her hands behind his neck and pulled him close. Ezra didn't argue with the unexpected gesture. Yet, he suddenly wished he did when he heard the curtain open behind him fifteen seconds later. They pulled apart, their faces turning a light shade of red.

"Uh, don't mean to interrupt," the doctor announced, holding back laughter, "but I just need your signature, Aria, and you're good to go...and continue this somewhere else."

Aria didn't dare look at Ezra as she grabbed the clipboard and scribbled her name below her mother's signature.

_Maybe if Ezra Fitz weren't so damn charming, she wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place._

* * *

Ella and Byron had insisted that Aria rest in her own bed rather than Ezra's, and she didn't protest. She needed time to untangle her mind in the bedroom she grew up in. Unfortunately, it now held painful memories—but so didn't the rest of Rosewood as of late.

Immediately after returning from the hospital at 5 p.m., Aria dragged herself straight to her room, prepared to hibernate for the following few days. She lay under the covers of her bed with her head propped up on a few extra pillows. Spencer and Emily sat on the bottom of Aria's bed, with Aria's legs resting on Spencer's lap. Hanna had dragged the chair that once occupied the space in front of the closet and placed it in front of Aria's nightstand.

Spencer leaned her head against Aria's wall and looked at Aria. "The hospital should start giving us their equivalent of frequent flyer miles," she noted wryly.

Hanna had since gotten bored and was rummaging through Aria's closet looking for who knows what. "And what would you get with your miles, Spencer?" Hanna wondered, turning to look at her. "A free ride from Wren?"

Spencer glared at Hanna, narrowing her eyes. "Isn't that what you'd ask for, too?" she shot back with a raised eyebrow. "Don't forget you were also a victim of Downton Grabby's charm."

Hanna rolled her eyes and gave up on her quest to find something to add to her wardrobe. She walked across Aria's room and plopped herself back in the chair.

Emily darted her eyes between Hanna and Spencer. "I thought we were here for Aria, not to make comments about a guy who isn't Caleb or Toby."

Spencer and Hanna surrendered their evil glares and turned their attention to Aria, giving her an apologetic smile.

"So, are you and Ezra okay?" Emily asked with a bit of hesitation.

Aria shook her head and exhaled a heavy breath. "I can't remember the last time I was happy for more than five minutes." Her fingers mindlessly played with a string hanging from one of the blankets. Okay, so maybe that shower in New York was an exception...

"Wow, Ezra only lasts that long in bed?"

Apparently Hanna could read her mind.

Spencer shot Hanna an accusative glare and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Really, Hanna?"

Hanna looked down and murmured under her breath, "Just trying to lighten the mood."

Three successive knocks sounded from behind Aria's door. "It's me," Ezra announced. His voice was muffled from the barrier between them.

Hanna whipped her head in the direction of the door. "Bad timing."

"That's why you need to learn to think before you speak," Emily told Hanna sternly. She scooted off the bed and walked across the room to open the door for Ezra.

A small bouquet of pink roses was tucked behind his arm, while his hand held a paper bag and Aria's purse that she must have left at his place. He was a little surprised to see the three girls sitting in the room with Aria. "I've come to relieve you of your babysitting duties," he announced to the room's occupants with a slight chuckle.

"They're not babysitting," Aria corrected him from the bed, "and neither are you."

Spencer smiled at Aria and discreetly mouthed "Good luck" before she climbed off the bed. Hanna and Emily said goodbye and walked into the hallway and down the stairs. Spencer stopped in front of Ezra and crossed her arms, eyeing him up and down with a judgmental stare. She didn't have to speak for Ezra to know her demands.

"I know how to take care of my girlfriend, Spencer," he promised her. He shuffled the items in his arms as he waited for Spencer's approval to enter the room.

She glanced at Aria, who was watching from the bed, and put her pointer finger up, signaling she needed a minute. She closed the door and returned her attention to Ezra with squinted eyes. "Every time I need to fix Aria, it seems as if you were the one to break her."

"Spencer, I—"

"No," she interrupted. "Don't tell me you know how, Ezra. Prove it or I won't be on your side anymore. Do you understand?"

Ezra nodded. "Understood."

Spencer relaxed her composure and sighed, then turned around and retreated down the stairs to find the girls. Ezra entered Aria's room and sat beside her in the chair Hanna had recently vacated. He placed Aria's purse and the grocery bag on the floor, handing the pink roses to Aria. She smiled brightly and brought them to her nose, inhaling their scent.

"Thank you," she said softly, then handed them back to him. "Can you fill the vase that's on my desk and put them in?"

Ezra nodded and took the flowers, putting them beside him on the chair for a moment. He reached for Aria's purse and pulled out _Winesburg, Ohio_, then placed it on her nightstand. Next, he grabbed the teddy bear he'd thrown at the wall and tucked it in Aria's arm. "You forgot him at my apartment."

She smirked up at Ezra and picked up the bear, bringing him under the covers with her. "Did you apologize to him for throwing him at a brick wall?"

Ezra rubbed his hand behind his neck and nodded, looking straight across the room. "I apologized on the way over," he lied.

"You're not a very good liar, you know."

"Neither are you."

_Oh yes I am,_ she thought. "Did you bring me anything else?" she asked him. I mean, there had to be something in the grocery bag. She looked at the ground, eyeing the paper bag sitting on the floor.

Ezra bent down in front of him and opened the bag, pulling out a container of cookies and some juice boxes. He put them on her nightstand next to _Winesburg, Ohio_. "We didn't get to eat them earlier, so I thought you could enjoy them."

"Thank you."

The room emptied of their playful teasing and casual conversation and filled with silence. Ezra leaned back in the chair and crossed one leg over the other.

"Should we—"

"I need to tell you—"

They both spoke at the same time and looked at each other with worried smiles. Aria nodded, allowing him to go first.

He sighed heavily and nervously licked his lips. He brushed a hand through his hair before he spoke. "Do you want to take a break? Is everything getting too much for you? I need you to be happy and healthy, Aria. If you don't want to do this anymore, we don't have to."

Aria nodded and sighed with the same heavy burden that he did. "I'm going to school in Boston. I already accepted. I didn't know how to tell you."

Damn. Ezra looked down at his feet and nodded in ultimate defeat. He was expecting this at some point, but he still wished she said no. It could be worse, right?

"Ezra, maybe it will be good for us," she added, noticing the look of despair in his expression.

"Us as in, individually? Or us as in our relationship?" He couldn't see how it would be good for _him_, but he had to agree that it would be good for _her_. She didn't need his problems in her life.

"I'm not sure," she admitted with sincerity. It was as if the roles had reversed and she reached for his hand and held it. "But I don't want to have this conversation right now."

Ezra closed his eyes for a brief moment and nodded before attempting to change the subject. "Do you need anything?"

Aria shook her head. "Right now, all I want is for you to read to me until I fall asleep."

Ezra removed her hand from hers and smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can manage that."

She returned his smile and tugged her covers further over her body, then moved one of the pillows from under her head and closed her eyes. Ezra turned around and grabbed _Winesburg, Ohio_ from her nightstand and opened up to a dog-eared page. He began to read in a quiet, soothing voice, as if he were singing her a lullaby.

"'_I know about her, although she has never crossed my path,' he said softly. 'I know about her struggles and her defeats. It is because of her defeats that she is to me the lovely one. Out of her defeats she has been born a new quality in woman. I have a name for it. I call it Tandy. I made up the name when I was a true dreamer and before my body became vile. It is the quality of being strong to be loved. It is something men need from women and that they do not get.'"_

Ezra proceeded to read the short story, his voice becoming quieter as her eyes began to flutter shut. Once she fell asleep, he continued to read—just to be sure she had fallen into a deep sleep. She breathed loudly, her chest rising and falling. He closed the book and returned it to its position, then found a notebook and a black pen from the top of her desk. He sat in his chair and began to write as her quiet snores filled the room.

"_Dear Aria..._"

He wrote and rewrote and revised and ripped out page after page. Nothing had been more difficult to write. His poem, _B-26_ had seemed to fly from his fingers, but this letter didn't seem to want to work. It was 7:30 p.m. before he finished what he wanted to say in a disorganization of mediocre paragraphs. He folded the piece of paper, writing her name on the outside, and carefully dropped it onto her nightstand where she would find it. He leaned over her sleeping body, brushing his lips against her forehead, then exited the room.

He had a sinking feeling that he wouldn't find himself in her room again. Maybe they had hit rock bottom. Maybe they hadn't. But if they weren't at the bottom yet, he didn't want to find out what would ultimately bring them there.

There were nearly eight years between them, but that wasn't the problem. It felt like her mind was 3,000 miles away.

* * *

Aria was surprised to find an empty chair when she woke up a few minutes later. She looked at the clock and noticed it was 2 a.m. Okay, so it wasn't a few minutes later. She stretched her arms above her head with a tired groan and blinked her eyes a few times in the darkness. She had to pee. She reached for the lamp on her nightstand and turned it on.

That's when she noticed the folded letter, sitting atop _Winesburg, Ohio_ like a cruel joke. Her stomach tied itself in knots as she picked up the letter and opened it, knowing just by the way her name was written that she wouldn't want to read it. But she did anyway, and she threw it back onto the nightstand, pretending she never picked it up in the first place. She fell back onto her pillow and stared at the ceiling in contemplation. The final words repeated continuously in her mind.

"..._Do whatever it is that's best for you, and that will be best for me._"

Well, F you Ezra.

She forced herself to fall asleep, completely forgetting her need to pee.

* * *

The sunlight streaming through the window was a bitch in the morning. She was trying to hibernate, for goodness sake. You can't hibernate with the sun out, she mentally yelled at her window. She pushed the covers off her body and slipped out of bed, wearing a pair of black shorts and one of Ezra's oversized t-shirts. The letter was still there, confirming that she hadn't imagined it in a dream. _Lovely._

Her bare feet patted across the floor as she exited her room to use the bathroom. Once she relieved herself, she returned to her room and was about to slide under the covers and hide from reality.

"Aria?"

Until, of course, her father called from downstairs. She groaned and turned around, slipping her feet into a pair of slippers and dragging herself to the top of the stairs. "Yeah, Dad?"

Byron entered the downstairs hallway from the kitchen. "Eat breakfast with me," he requested.

"I'm not hungry."

Byron sighed. "I'd really like to talk to you, Aria," he pleaded, a look of desperation in his eyes. "Please."

Aria hesitated for a moment before nodding, remembering her doctor's advice. She made her way downstairs and followed him into the kitchen, sitting in the chair across from him. "Where's Mike?"

"He's at your mothers."

She picked up her fork and dug into a piece of French toast. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she swallowed her first bite. Byron allowed her to eat for a few minutes before he cleared his throat. She looked up and saw sadness behind his eyes.

"What?"

"We haven't talked since..."

"...that night," she finished for him.

Byron nodded and took a deep breath. "Did Ezra tell you he came over here a month or so ago?"

Aria lowered her eyebrows and looked at him with a look of confusion. "Why would he do that?"

"To remind me that you need me."

"I'm fine, Dad," she stressed, somewhat irritated.

"After yesterday, I know that's not true." He looked her in the eye, waiting for her to break. When she didn't, he pulled in his chair and took several breaths before he spoke. "Aria, when I lost my brother, I didn't think I could go on."

Aria swallowed and placed her fork next to her plate. She knew this wasn't easy for him, so she listened as intently as she could. Throughout her entire life, discussion about his brother—her uncle she never met—was off limits.

"Someone told me that you don't just _get over_ a loss like that—but you learn to grow from it. If you're looking for ways to forget the pain, you're wasting your time," he explained, his eyes welling up. "I was told to stop trying to forget, and to start trying to see the good in it. How could I _grow_ from it?"

Aria bit her bottom lip and silently nodded.

"That's when I started to write about how I felt, and eventually decided to pursue an English degree. That's the glimmer of hope I found in the darkest days of my life."

Aria realized it was her time to open up; she didn't have a choice in the matter. Her eyes remained on the table as the words left her mouth completely unfiltered. "Sometimes I feel stupid, and weak, and guilty for being so sad about this for so long. I wasn't even two months pregnant when it happened."

It felt so strange to say the word _pregnant_ in front of her father. But if he felt the same way, he didn't show it. Maybe he prepared. Or maybe it haunted his mind.

"Everyone reacts to loss differently, Aria. You shouldn't feel guilty for how you feel. It was _your child_—that's what it comes down to."

A lone salty tear dropped from her eye and trickled down her cheek. "But I didn't even know him or her."

"All you needed to know was that the baby was yours to love it."

Another tear dropped from her eye, followed by another, until she let go and let them fall. Byron stood up from his chair and wrapped his daughter tightly in his arm, rubbing his hand up and down her back like a father should.

"Aria, you have a boyfriend who loves you so much, that he's willing to do anything for you," he comforted her. Or so he thought.

"I don't anymore," she wept onto his shoulder.

"What?"

She pulled away and looked her father in the eye.

"I think we broke up last night."

* * *

**Again, thanks for being amazing. Your support will never get old. It's surreal to me. Every review and every tweet is EXTREMELY appreciated.**

**Thank you WWKMDbracelets. I used something you said about two months ago. It really shaped where I brought (and am bringing) this story. I bet you didn't expect that, huh?**

**Three more chapters. Waaaaaah.**

**Please review, everyone. And don't hurt me!**


	24. Stepmother at 18

Ezra couldn't determine what was harder to swallow: being with Aria and causing her pain, or causing himself pain without her. It wasn't any surprise that he'd have to withstand a period of heartbreak after such a long, deeply-committed relationship—but he wasn't expecting to miss the little things he used to take for granted. His shower lacked the tangled chestnut hair that once clogged his drain. His sheets smelled like men's cologne instead of perfume and sex. And his vacuum cleaner stopped collecting feathers and sequins.

But as Ezra told himself, the only relationships worth having are the ones that leave tears in their wake. Or in Ezra's case, tears and feathers...

...and a sad little boy.

Malcolm rested his chin in the palms of his hands and stared out the window, just as his father did on occasion. Bee was curled up on the window sill, staring at the same sidewalk. Ezra knew his son and his cat were looking for the same thing, but he also knew it was a hopeless cause.

His daily routine continued as if he hadn't recently given up on the only honest thing in his life. As a father, he didn't have a choice. As a lover, he didn't have a choice. He had to be the strong one.

"You can sulk all you want, buddy, but she's not coming back," Ezra advised from the kitchen area. He poured a carton of milk into a bowl of Cheerios and murmured under his breath, "Trust me, I already tried that." He proceeded to fill Bee's dish with cat food.

Malcolm was silent for a few moments before he turned and dragged his feet to the kitchen table. His lips formed into a pout as he sat down in front of the cereal bowl Ezra had prepared. "What if it happens again?" he asked, taking a bite from the cereal and staring at his father with concern. "Who's going to make sure she's okay?"

The last time Malcolm had seen his father's girlfriend—or ex-girlfriend—was when she couldn't breathe inside his father's apartment. Ezra knew she was okay, but the curious 7-year-old wasn't so certain. The questioning persisted the following weeks after the incident, when Ezra explained that Aria was "sick" and needed to rest. It had taken him three weeks before he finally admitted to Malcolm, and somewhat to himself, that Aria wouldn't be coming back to watch movies with him.

"She has friends and family who love her. Don't worry about it, Malcolm," Ezra reassured him. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze.

Malcolm stubbornly shook his head. The answer wasn't sufficient. "But who's going to hold her hand?" he demanded. "What if they don't know you gotta hold her hand? Dad, she needs _someone _to hold her hand."

"They know," Ezra lied, "I told them."

Malcolm dropped his spoon and pushed his bowl across the table. "I _thought_ you loved her," Malcolm huffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The stubbornness on his face read like a child persuading his father for an ice cream cone rather than a girl. "My mom says when you love someone, you're stuck with them _forever_."

Ezra nodded. Malcolm was right in theory, but love had countless rules and even more exceptions. "But when you love someone, you also need to do what makes them happy instead of what makes you happy."

"Doesn't she love you?"

"I think so," Ezra sighed, brushing a hand through his own curls.

"Then why isn't she doing what makes _you_ happy?"

Silence lingered in the air as Bee weaved in and out of Malcolm and Ezra's legs, meowing at the two of them. She wasn't hungry. Her dish was full.

"She misses her mommy," Malcolm pointed out, before looking up at his father. "She told me when we were looking out the window."

Ezra missed her too.

* * *

It was 6 p.m. on a Wednesday night and Aria was sitting on a stranger's bed in a cramped dorm room in downtown Boston. Brooke, the host of her overnight stay on campus, was listing off rules robotically as if she had performed this speech 600 times before. Aria wasn't listening. After "Don't smoke pot" and "Don't burn down the building with your toaster," she filled in the blanks and her eyes wandered to oversized movie poster of _The Notebook_ behind Brooke's blonde head. She wished Spencer or Emily or even Hanna were there, but she'd have to get used to living with strangers anyway. Tonight, the stranger was an overly enthusiastic overachiever who likely jumped at the chance to host a high school student. And Aria was the hopeless victim.

A year ago, she didn't think she would be staying in a dorm room for college. After breaking things off with Ezra, getting an apartment didn't seem nearly as appealing anymore. It seemed _lonely_. But as Aria realized, dorm life seemed pretty damn lonely without him too. Hopefully the feeling would fade...

"Also, it's Wednesday. For us, it's hump day. But for my neighbor across the hall there," Brooke pointed towards the door and lowered her voice to a whisper, "Wednesdays always seems to be hump night, if you catch my drift. So don't be alarmed when you hear screams in the middle of the night."

Aria's eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly masked her shock. She had selected a great time to start listening again. "Oh, thanks for the...warning."

Brooke nodded and wasted no time getting to the personal part, acting as if she were best friends with the petite girl sitting on her bed. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Aria bit her lip and lost eye contact with Brooke, looking down at the top of her thighs. "Not since a few weeks ago," she answered with a heavy sigh.

Brooke smiled sympathetically, though Aria knew there was no way she could accurately grasp the depth of the relationship she had recently crawled out from. "You're in Boston. Do you know how many college men are here?" Brooke moved her hand to motion outside window, indicating a bunch of hypothetical men who were not Ezra somewhere out in the city. "Trust me, it's a big step up from high school boys. It's like they grow a brain over the summer and start learning how to use deodorant."

Aria laughed politely. "My ex isn't in high school."

"Must've been a real asshole, then."

"No, no." Aria shook her head. "He was perfect, just not right for me anymore."

"Well, it doesn't matter if you're together or just 'fuck buddies' or whatever, the RAs are also adamant against four-legged showers," Brooke stressed, and when she saw the confusion written across Aria's face, she quickly added, "Also known as shower sex. Don't shoot the messenger. It's on the list of rules given to orientation leaders and I am here to enlighten you on all rules including shower stall etiquette."

Aria nodded and smiled, thinking how fun it would be to break the shower etiquette with Ezra. Unfortunately, they weren't together, fuck buddies, or whatever.

* * *

In the thirty days following their breakup, Aria and Ezra's relationship dwindled down to Facebook likes. The breakup was amicable, but both of them knew casual text messages or phone calls would only make the separation more difficult. Thus, they saw each other in their dreams, and that was that—for now.

It was a science experiment. If they stopped talking long enough, they'd stop caring. But they never discussed how long "long enough" would be.

Ezra was willing to break the rules of the experiment when Aria's birthday rolled around. He had been debating whether he should write "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Birthday!" on Facebook for approximately thirty minutes, using the backspace key to its exhaustion. Although he was reluctant to show emotion with just an exclamation point, he somehow found himself parked in front of the Montgomery home on that Wednesday in April. If he were in school, he'd get an F on the science experiment that was Aria Montgomery.

The next step would be opening the car door, of course. Someone had to have seen him by now; there was no going back without revealing his desperation to the house's occupants. He told himself _just do it_, and with one last pep talk, he opened the car door and ran up the porch steps before he could question his decision. Like Malcolm said, she needed someone to hold her hand, right?

It was her birthday. It wouldn't be weird, right? He wasn't _just_ an ex-boyfriend. He was more than that...

...Right?

With a nervous breath, Ezra raised his fist to the thick oak door and gently knocked. He took several deep breaths, fiddling with the gift in his hand, as he waited for someone to open the door. When no one did, he raised his fist again and the door opened to Mike's puzzled face.

"Hey Mike," he greeted, wondering how much Aria's little brother knew about what happened between them. "Is Aria home?" He awkwardly lifted the gift so Mike could see it, as if to say _I'm not a creep, I'm only here to give her this comprehensive gift of items to survive college with, including a movie to watch when she has a rough night and a book to help her when she's homesick and vegan takeout menus from the area around her school and this really soft blanket that reminded me of how soft her skin is. _Thankfully, the extent of the gift was hidden in a purple gift bag.

"She's in Boston for an overnight stay at her college, then she's celebrating her birthday with her friends in the city," Mike answered with a hint of skepticism in his voice. He hesitated before he continued, "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here? Didn't you two break up, like, a month ago?"

Ezra lifted his hand to nervously rub the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I had already bought her a gift before we ended things and thought I'd give it to her for the heck of it." He bought the gift two days ago. "But maybe I'll dig around for the receipt instead and return it. Thanks Mike." He gave a quick smile before he turned around and descended the porch steps.

"Has it been 30 days?" Mike called after him.

Ezra turned to look at him. "Nah, more like thirty-two days, sixteen hours, thirteen minutes," he thought. "What?" he asked.

"Did you buy the gift more than 30 days ago?" Mike clarified, noticing Ezra's strange behavior. "You know, you may not be able to bring it back if the store's return policy..."

"Right," Ezra interjected and nodded. "Thank you, Mike. Maybe I'll just donate it."

Ezra wondered if it were also too late to take back the letter he wrote thirty-two days ago.

* * *

Aria and her friends were gathered around a small table in an italian restaurant near her college in a quaint area of Boston. After they had finished off an appetizer and entrees, they were ready to sing happy birthday to the brand-new 18-year-old. Spencer inserted several candles into the chocolate cake while Emily went off somewhere asking the hostess for a lighter.

Ella had allowed Aria and her friends to travel to Boston for Aria's college visit. It was their first chance to play "adult" before doing the real thing in a few months. While Aria reluctantly stayed in a dorm room with Brooke on the first night, her friends stayed in a nearby hotel. But something told Aria that they also made use of their fake IDs without her—especially with Hanna in tow.

Emily returned with a lighter and started igniting the candles while Spencer opened the camera on her iPhone. Once Emily successfully lit each candle, the three girls sang happy birthday as a few onlookers from adjacent tables happily looked on. Though for Aria, it felt odd that the strangers were so happy for her, when she wasn't entirely happy herself. Something was missing. _Someone _was missing. As Aria blew out the candles, Spencer lifted the phone in front of Aria's face and asked her a simple question. "How does it feel to be an adult?"

_Aria and Ezra were in the midst of making the steamy shower even steamier when Ezra ripped his lips away from hers. "I cannot wait until your eighteenth birthday," he told her with a sly grin._

_She attempted to catch her breath. "And why," she panted, "is that?"_

_"We can finally have sex." Aria's eyes widened and she looked at Ezra as if he belonged in Radley Sanitarium. "And what have we been doing for the past year? Naked leap frog? A jigsaw puzzle with body parts?"_

_Ezra chuckled and grabbed the back of Aria's bare thighs. "I'm not sure, but let's try all of the above." He lifted her as she wrapped her legs around his naked body. _

Aria looked into the camera and tried her best to smile. Her lips may have formed into a grin, but her other facial features—her eyes, her brow—didn't mask the frown that wanted to be there. She shrugged and answered, "Fine."

Spencer sighed in frustration and ended the video before placing her phone on the table and looking Aria in the eye. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied hastily with a forced smile. "Why do you think something's wrong?"

Spencer wasn't the only one to notice Aria's sudden mood change. "Because, typically, people don't look like they want to cry when they blow out their birthday candles," Hanna pointed out. "Unless you're using your wish to, like, wish death upon someone or something."

Leaning back into the chair, Aria exhaled a heavy breath and crossed her arms. "Ezra and I had a lot of plans for my 18th birthday, that's all," she admitted sheepishly, chewing her lip without looking at anyone directly. They'd gotten sick of hearing Ezra's name the days following the breakup, so Aria was hesitant to mention him.

"Well, I would ask you what those plans were, but I have a feeling I don't want to know," Spencer noted dryly. "And if I did, I probably couldn't replicate them..." She shuddered as she presumably read Aria's thoughts about the explicit jigsaw puzzle.

Aria grinned and picked up her fork in attempt to change the subject—for the sake of her friends, and for herself. "I won't share the plans but I'll share this cake."

The four girls didn't bother cutting slices, each picking up a fork and digging in. She was grateful for the girls who had been there for her over the last years, but her heart still missed an important piece of the puzzle.

It didn't feel right to be spending her birthday 300 miles away from Ezra when they had initially planned on spending it not even 3 centimeters away.

After all, it doesn't work unless the puzzle pieces touch.

* * *

The casual birthday celebration in the family-restaurant quickly took a turn as all four girls whipped out their fake IDs in front of a live-music club a few blocks down the street. Hanna had originally spotted it on their walk from the hotel to the restaurant, and Spencer's glare squashed her plans before she'd even pitched the idea. Her attitude changed some hours later when she saw the sadness behind Aria's eyes, and _hell_, they were in a new city and weren't going to let Aria's breakup blues get in the way.

Besides, Ella was 300 miles away.

Spencer volunteered to be the designated-street walker and avoid alcohol, as they didn't want to get into any trouble in a city they weren't well acquainted with. The last thing they wanted was their parents to rescue them.

The band scheduled to perform that night wasn't extraordinarily talented by any means—but what they lacked in talent, they made up for in attractive band members. It was likely how the group of 20somethings made it through life, one tipsy boy-crazy girl at a time. After a few drinks, Hanna bought into the blonde guitarist. After a few drinks, Emily noticed the female drummer. After a few drinks, Aria...well, Aria thought the singer looked a little bit like Ezra.

While the mediocre faux rock band transitioned into a cover of "Call Me Maybe," the four high school seniors remained standing in a group in front of the stage. It was a little lame, but it beat the sleepover that would've taken place in their hotel room with a stack of chick flicks Hanna packed.

Hanna had Caleb, so she didn't go after Blondie. Emily had Paige, so she resisted Drummer. Spencer wasn't intoxicated so she didn't give a shit and instead rolled her eyes. "Call Me Maybe" was bad _before_ bands decided to cover it.

Aria still loved Ezra, so she didn't care about Ezra's inadequate look-a-like. At least, she didn't think so. She nervously sipped from her drink and stared at Ezra the Second with a dream-like expression for the duration of the lame performance—and Hanna, being Hanna, mistook her daydream for interest. By the time the guys started packing up after their set, Hanna started on her cupid duties.

"Aria's crushing on the main guy," Hanna drunkenly teased.

Aria shot Hanna a look that she hoped would shut her up, but it didn't. Hanna nudged her in the side with her elbow and pointed to the stage. "They'll be coming down soon. Let's go talk to him!" Hanna squealed in excitement.

Aria shook her head vigorously. She knew what happened when she was vulnerable and around an attractive, older guy. Some people were mean drunks, some people were emotional drunks, but Aria? She was a flirty drunk with magnetic lips. And with the guy having Ezra's haircut, she was _doomed_. "Hanna, I'm not ready."

Hanna impatiently rolled her eyes, and with an altered sense of judgement, she grabbed Aria's arm and tugged her across the floor. To Hanna's dismay, Aria wouldn't budge and pulled back.

"Hanna, I don't want to talk to that guy," she hissed through clenched teeth. "_Stop it._"

"Why not, Aria? He's cute."

Aria pulled away from Hanna and crossed her arms defensively. "I don't want to accidentally kiss him or do something I'll regret."

"And so what if you do? You deserve to be happy."

"I don't want to be happy with _him._"

Hanna groaned and pulled Aria by her shirt, but Aria still wouldn't budge. Spencer and Emily looked on, not sure what to do in the situation. Their lack of assistance told Aria that they wanted her to talk to him as well. When Aria tried to move in the opposite direction, Hanna's grasp caused her angel necklace to break from her neck and fall to the floor in pieces. Time seemed to stop as the four of them moved their gaze to the floor, but three of them didn't know the significance of the small angel. Aria's glossy eyes slowly inched from the floor to Hanna's guilt-ridden expression, and before she could think twice, she did something she'd likely regret.

She lifted her hand, and with all the strength five feet two inches could hold, she slapped Hanna across the face.

The slap seemed to echo throughout the small room. Ezra the Second definitely noticed her now. In fact, a lot of people did. Aria inhaled a deep breath, but when she exhaled, she couldn't find the air for a second breath. The small club seemed as claustrophobic as Ezra's apartment 32 days ago. She breathed heavily, her eyes wanting so desperately to release a waterfall of tears. Emily comforted Hanna and Spencer stayed by Aria's side.

Oh _shit_.

"You okay?" Spencer asked, squeezing Aria's hand.

Aria nodded, her eyes remaining on Hanna. It was as if she had watched someone else slap her, or her hand didn't belong to her arm. But when she saw the necklace on the floor, the anger inside of her—mixed with the alcohol—completely blinded her judgement.

Spencer gave Aria a sympathetic look before turning to the other girls. "I'm going to bring Aria back to the hotel room," she told them. "Don't stumble down any dark alleys."

"Why, so no one will hurt me?" Hanna scoffed, her hand still holding her red cheek. "So I broke your stupid necklace, Aria, but Ezra broke you. I don't even know who you are."

Aria didn't say anything.

Spencer bent down to collect the remnants of the necklace and put them in her crossbody bag. After saying goodbye, she held Aria's hand and guided her out of the club. She located a bench outside the building and made Aria sit down. As her doctor instructed, Aria concentrated on her breathing until her heart stopped racing. "I _hate _this," Aria agonized. "Why am I so weak? I never used to be like this."

Spencer sighed and hesitated, knowing Aria may not accept her explanation. "Maybe because you think you are?"

Aria replied with a confused glare and narrowed eyes. She was too tipsy to have a serious conversation, but Spencer didn't care. She was always willing to spread her wisdom.

"It's all about your mind, Aria. If you think you're a lousy writer, you'll never write well. If you think you're smart, you'll ace your exams. If you think you're weak..."

"...I'll be weak," Aria finished for her.

Spencer nodded. "I don't agree with what Hanna did, but..." she trailed off, then grabbed Aria's hand and squeezed it. "Did you not want to talk to that guy because you're not ready—or because you're afraid that you can fall in love with someone who isn't Ezra?"

Aria shook her head and looked away. She managed to get back on her feet and started walking in the direction of their hotel, albeit her steps were somewhat clumsy. Spencer followed on her heels in order to let Aria have her own space.

And she didn't want to get slapped.

* * *

Ezra sat on the edge of his bed in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. Once Aria was out of his life, he quickly realized that he never had any friends in Rosewood who weren't Aria. And if Malcolm wasn't there, he was completely alone besides the characters in his favorite black & white movies. With his iPhone in his sweaty palm, his finger lingered on the green button for 34 minutes. How could a task that was so easy 32 days ago turn into such a difficult endeavor?

It was 11 p.m. and Ezra was running out of time to wish Aria a happy birthday on her actual birthday. Little did Ezra know, Aria's birthday wasn't measuring up to be _happy_. His perception regarding how she was spending her day was somewhat skewed; he assumed she had moved on more easily than he had. He suggested the break in their relationship, but Aria was the one who ultimately agreed it was the best decision for the two of them.

Maybe the first step was calling the Wizard of Oz and asking for some courage. Where the fuck was the yellow brick road?

* * *

Aria remained ahead of Spencer until they reached the elevator in the hotel lobby. The doors were almost shut before Spencer stuck her arm between them and joined Aria on the other side. It was dead quiet except for the quiet breaths of the two occupants, but Spencer finally discovered why Aria wanted to be alone. She was crying. Her eyes remained fixated in front of her, as if Spencer weren't there. She opened her purse and dug around until she retrieved her room key. The doors opened and she rushed out of the door and down the hallway.

Spencer's words replayed in Aria's mind as she clumsily rushed back to the hotel room. With each step she took, she calculated her mission. She knew what she was going to do. She was going to be strong.

She was going to call Ezra.

After she unlocked the door, she rushed inside and sat on the side of her and Spencer's bed. As if powered by instinct, she scrolled to Ezra's name and pressed the green button. Spencer entered the room and stood in front of Aria, towering over the small girl with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Her definition of "strong" wasn't calling Ezra. It was _moving on_ from Ezra.

"What are you doing!?"

"Calling Ezra."

"No you're _not,_" Spencer dictated, grabbing the phone from Aria. "Give me your phone. I'm your designated decision maker and I'm not letting you drunk dial Ezra."

Aria didn't let go of her only precious connection to her ex-boyfriend. "It's _my _relationship, Spencer. And I'm not drunk."

"It _was _your relationship, Aria," she corrected, successfully ripping the phone from Aria's grasp. She threw the phone on Hanna and Emily's bed behind her. "And yes you are. You'll thank me in the morning."

Aria stared at Spencer like a lost drunken puppy. Spencer's stare broke Aria and she gave up, lying down on the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her cheeks in a desperate attempt to stop the tears from falling. She was getting real tired of this crying thing.

"Ezra gave me that necklace," she explained, knowing Spencer couldn't full comprehend why she was so upset. "After we lost our..."

"Shhh," Spencer soothed, lying down beside her best friend. "You don't have to tell me anything or explain. Just hold my hand. You don't need him and you have me."

Aria turned to face her best friend and gave her a small hint of a smile. "Happy Birthday to me."

* * *

Ezra didn't need to find the yellow brick road or ask the wizard for courage. While staring at his phone for the 46th minute, he received a call from the person he was trying to reach. At first he thought fate was bringing them back together—until he answered the call.

Spencer never pressed "End" on Aria's phone call.

He was glad Aria wasn't home that day because he had finally reached the conclusion he had never wanted to accept. With the heartbreaking sounds on the other line, Ezra wanted to get in his car and drive to Boston and hold Aria until nothing hurt. But instead, he realized just how much Aria needed to _not _need him.

She needed to learn how to be Aria before they could be Ezria again.

It was a science experiment. If they stopped talking long enough, they'd stop caring.

Ezra hoped the hypothesis would be false.

* * *

***Crawls out from underneath a boulder* *Squints in the sun* Hello? Is anyone there? Yeah, so, I didn't update in two months. But I did start a new story called "Nothing Left" and I'm like BEYOND EXCITED ABOUT IT. Read it?**

**I can't promise you'll get a chapter soon because I'm going to be crazy busy in the upcoming weeks.**

**#JakeIsAMistake**

**You know the drill: PLEASE REVIEW! ! !**


	25. Chapter 25

Aria had surprised herself in several ways in the preceding months. For a short time, she was a stepmother at the age of 17. She managed to turn a child's fort into an adult-only party for two. She had lost two important pieces of her life—one she gave up when she loved him deeply, the other taken away before she knew to love it. And although these events were noteworthy, Aria knew they were nothing compared to the most recent shock in her life.

She could run five miles at 5:30 a.m. _without_ melting.

Regardless of everyone's doubts, Aria woke up before the sun three times a week in order to prepare for the marathon that would took place in the summer. Even without Ezra, she was steadily increasing her distance every day. The route she followed deviated from the one she previously had taken with her ex-boyfriend. The sidewalks looked the same. The suburban homes she passed looked the same. Her feet, however, never carried her in front of the brick building that held apartment 3B.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder—but only for a little while. Eventually absence makes the heart forget. That was Aria's goal. Unfortunately, the goal proved to be rather difficult considering she refused to forget the one thing that still tied her to Ezra.

After reaching the halfway point, Aria began to slow her pace until she came to a stop in the center of Rosewood. With her chest rapidly rising and falling, she plopped her body onto the edge of the curb. The sun was now high enough to indicate it was going to be a unseasonably warm day in the beginning of May. She squinted into the sun, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. A disappointment sat in the pit of her stomach when she realized her water bottle was empty. _Damn_.

"Who got _you_ out of bed this morning?"

The voice was the one voice she didn't want to hear, and at the same time, it was the one voice she _wanted_ to hear. He was like the chocolate chip cookie the size of your head when you are trying to maintain a healthy diet. The teasing, comforting yet sexy voice of Ezra Fitz was unhealthy as unhealthy could get for Aria's current needs.

But his voice tasted _so_ good to Aria's ears.

Aria slowly turned to the sound of his voice and managed a polite smile, her eyes instinctively lighting up at the sight of him. "My alarm clock," she answered truthfully.

The sweat dripping from Ezra's forehead was evidence that he was also on a morning run, as was the sweaty grey t-shirt and navy shorts. His curly hair stuck to his forehead like glue. He had grown it out since the split. It was cute.

"I didn't expect to see you out this early," Ezra admitted, keeping his distance between the two of them. If it had been a couple months ago, he would've taken a seat next to her and offered her a sip of his water. But then they'd be sharing spit, and people shouldn't do that when they're not together. "At least, not without me dragging you out of bed by your feet."

Aria eyed him enviously as he took a large gulp from his water bottle. "Well, I wasn't doing this for you..." She anxiously rubbed the palms of her hands over her knees. She wasn't doing it for herself, either.

Ezra nodded in understanding. His gaze fell upon Aria's chest, causing her to feel somewhat strange and uncomfortable. She quickly realized he wasn't looking at her breasts, but rather the empty space above them. His lips fell ever so slightly to form a frown, with the same sadness filling his eyes.

"I didn't take it off," Aria blurted out, interrupting his thoughts. It was too painful to watch the conclusions forming in his mind, likely assuming she had taken it off herself. "Hanna broke it on my birthday."

"That was nice way to say _Happy Birthday,_" he said sarcastically.

Aria nodded, anxiously biting her lip. A heavy silence separated them before Ezra decided to break the tension and stray from forced conversation. "Bee misses you."

It had been 42 days. _Of course_ Bee missed her.

"She says the apartment isn't the same without you—and neither is the bed at night," he added. "She doesn't want to sleep on _my _pillow."

"Maybe Bee needs to get used to sleeping alone," Aria suggested with a heartbreaking smile.

Ezra nodded. "Maybe."

* * *

For sixteen years, Mother's Day in the Montgomery house was always the same. Aria—and soon after Mike—would happily assist their father in making Ella breakfast in bed. The kitchen was always full of cheerfulness and laughter while Ella pretended to get a few extra hours of sleep. As an unfortunate bitter ending to their childhoods, the previous two years were a big change for the family.

On this Mother's Day, Aria was alone in the kitchen of Ella's apartment with the radio lightly playing. Mike promised he'd come over later, but as a dumb teenage boy, he couldn't grasp the importance of sentimental traditions like Aria did. Still in her workout clothes, she flipped a pancake in the frying pan and quietly hummed along to the radio. Once they were cooked, she placed them on a tray alongside a cup of coffee, a banana, and a vase of daisies.

A lot had changed in their lives, but one factor remained; without fail, Ella continued to humor Aria's committed breakfast-making by pretending to remain asleep. Aria quietly opened the door and entered the room holding her mother's breakfast.

"Happy Mother's Day," Aria exclaimed, placing the breakfast on the nightstand. She grabbed her coffee from the tray and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her mother to fully wake up.

Ella stretched her arms above her head before sitting up and smiling at the beautiful spread in front of her. "Thank you, honey," she replied in a tired voice, placing the tray over her lap. She picked up her fork and stabbed a pancake, then looked at Aria skeptically. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

Aria lifted the coffee to her lips and took a sip, shaking her head in the process. "I got something at The Brew on my run."

"What time did you go running?"

"A few hours ago."

Normally Aria didn't run on the weekends. But it was Mother's Day, and she felt she needed the endorphins on a day expected to be challenging for a variety of reasons. The day could've held a different feeling if a night some months ago went a lot differently.

Ella glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand and noticed it was barely after 8 a.m. "I don't know who you are, but you are _not_ my daughter."

With narrowed eyes, Aria reached toward the tray on Ella's lap. "Then I guess I'll just give this delicious breakfast to my _real _mother," she teased, raising an eyebrow.

Ella hit Aria's hand away from her plate with her fork. "Don't you dare," she laughed, then patted the mattress beside her. "Lay with me," Ella requested. "Remember when you used to jump into bed with me in the morning? Like old times."

Aria laughed. "I'm 18. Don't you think I'm a little too old to cuddle with my mother in her bed?"

Ella shook her head. "You're never too old."

It didn't take much convincing before Aria complied and climbed on the other side of the bed. She pulled the covers over her body and snuggled against her mother, placing her head on the same pillow. Her mother was right—she'd never be too old for rare moments like this. The mother and daughter shared a warm smile before they talked and laughed about everything and nothing, from college to Zack's habit of leaving socks everywhere, Mike's potential girlfriends to how amazing the pancakes were. The conversation eventually faded into silence, neither of them ready to get out of bed and cut the moment short.

Ella gently rubbed Aria's back and looked her seriously in the eyes before she addressed a sensitive topic. "Are...you okay today?" Her voice was sincere but barely above a whisper. "Don't lie to me. We can talk." It was clear that this thought didn't just pop into her head, as if this question was her motive all along.

With a deep breath, Aria nodded confidently. "I'm okay, Mom. Really," she reassured her. She wasn't lying, either, and she was pretty damn good at lying. After the incident last month, her talk with Byron had motivated her to stop whining and to start growing. She hadn't found how she could grow from the experience yet, but she realized she wouldn't find the answer if she were looking for it. "Sometimes it's hard, but I'm fine."

Ella lowered her eyebrows in concern, staring her daughter down. "Remember you never have to put up a front for me, understand?"

Aria nodded when she felt an odd sensation in her bra, but quickly remembered she had placed her phone there when she was on her run. Ella eyed her suspiciously as she reached into her shirt and pulled her phone out. Her eyebrows creased in confusion when she noticed the text was from Ezra. He hadn't texted her in 42 days.

"_How are you today?_"

Aria smiled at her phone, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. It was one of those smiles that she couldn't mask no matter how hard she tried, even with her overly-concerned mother peering over her shoulder. The feeling in her stomach was reminiscent of when she was his favorite teacher's pet, before they were even in a genuine relationship. Just one mischievous grin from Ezra across the hall at school left Aria wondering if it were possible to get pregnant by having such passionate eye sex.

Their eyes lacked that intimacy as soon as Malcolm entered their lives.

Her fingers tapped quickly across her iPhone. "_Way better than I thought I'd be. Thank you for thinking of me. :)_"

Only fifteen or so seconds passed before he replied. After being in a relationship with Aria, Ezra learned how to compete with her extreme texting abilities.

"_Good. Bee says Happy Mother's Day! :)_"

Aria's eyes dissected the message while her fingertips lingered over the keyboard, debating whether she should continue the conversation or assume it was over. It really did feel like they were at the beginning again, but this time she knew how it would end.

"Who's texting you?" Ella inquired curiously. Finally, a new man to distract her from Ezra...

"No one," Aria denied.

"That smile is telling me otherwise."

Aria sighed, playing it off like it was no big deal when that was far from the truth. "It's just Ezra."

Ella raised her eyebrows but maintained her composure, even though his name was likely not the name she was prepared to hear. "Oh? What did he want?"

Aria bit her lip and placed her phone back in her bra—out of habit—without answering Ezra's text. "He asked me the same question you just did."

"It's because we both love you," Ella told her. "I can't lie and tell you I'm not relieved you two ended it. But I also know from experience that just because you end something, doesn't mean you stop caring about the other person."

"You may be right, but you need more than love to make a relationship—or friendship—work."

Ella playfully slapped Aria on the arm, pursing her lips. "Are you implying I'm a bad mother, young lady?"

Aria shook her head and laughed. Ella put her arm around Aria in a tight embrace, and they laughed together, continuing their talk about everything and nothing until they decided it was time to drag themselves out of bed.

Aria closed the door to the bathroom and turned the shower on. When she stripped of her workout clothes, she realized her phone was still in her bra—and that she hadn't answered Ezra. Prior to jumping into the shower, she opened the conversation and typed "_Thank you." _However, before her finger pressed against the send button, she replaced the period with an exclamation point.

"_Thank you!_"

She didn't know why, yet the exclamation point seemed to make all the difference.

* * *

Mike kept his promise and made an appearance at Ella's apartment a little before noon. The family of three had plans to go to lunch and a movie to celebrate Mother's Day. After giving his mother a bouquet of flowers, he passed by the guest room where Aria was applying her makeup and tossed a small box at his sister. Lowering her eyebrows, Aria caught the box and turned it over in her hands, inspecting whatever it could be.

"What's this?"

"I don't know. Spencer dropped it off this morning," Mike answered with a shrug. " Hurry up. I'm hungry."

Her brother walked away as she tore the paper from the small box. Inside a small jewelry box was her broken necklace—only not-so broken anymore. "Thank you, Spence," she whispered to herself, hastily unclasping the chain. She immediately fastened it around her neck and adjusted it in the mirror, taking an extra second to squeeze the angel in her hands.

Ella poked her head in the door. "Are you ready to go? Mike is apparently going to die of starvation if we don't leave in 30 seconds."

Aria nodded cheerfully and followed her mother out the door.

* * *

Aria wasn't the only member of Ezria to find a surprise at the door that week. On his way home from the store on Monday afternoon, Ezra checked his mailbox and pulled out the typical bills, junk mail, and magazines he subscribed to. But when he spotted a certain square envelope with his name printed in Aria's signature handwriting, his jaw dropped along with the rest of the mail in his hands.

Yes, they bumped into each other one morning last week and had a brief, forced conversation. Yes, he texted her on Mother's Day. But besides that, they hadn't seen or heard from each other in 43 days.

He took a seat on the front steps of his apartment building and carefully ripped open the envelope, pulling out an invitation to Rosewood High's graduation. As a former teacher, he knew each student only received five invitations because of limited space. Ella could've pulled a few strings, but he wanted to believe he had been one of the chosen five Aria wanted to invite.

Maybe it wouldn't be wise to attend Aria's graduation as her boyfriend, but no one said anything about going as a friend.

After all, there's nothing scandalous about friends—as long as the puzzle pieces don't touch.

* * *

**Thank you so much for the nice reviews! Although I know how the story ends, I'm still up for any suggestions...big or small. Also, thanks to Becca who always helps me when I'm stumped. (If you don't read her current story, Pursuit of His Happiness, I STRONGLY suggest you do. It's brilliant. It's in my faves if you need to find it.)**

**I won't be able to even start thinking about writing until August just to warn you. That's partially why this chapter is so short. I wanted to give you something before I left.**

**Little side note: I often add details that correspond to details in other chapters, and I hope you guys see those and they don't go over your head. **

**Two more chapters and we are done. Whaaaaat. I'm gonna cry. Not really. Maybe in two chapters I will. ;)**

**If you're not aware by now, I'm sleepnthehrding on Twitter.**

**REVIEW PLEASE! ! !**


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